Lebanon County Community Asset Mapping

The efforts to strengthen workforce development in Lebanon County represent a crucial step toward fostering a more equitable and sustainable local economy. Through collaborative asset mapping, valuable community resources have been identified, along with key barriers that hinder the effectiveness of existing services.

Assets have been grouped into four categories as shown below. Each category has a list, with links, of resources available to assist employers, individuals, and community organizations in Lebanon County.

If you have assets to add to the list, please email Karen Groh with details.

Key Community Leader Participants in the 2024 Cohort

In 2024, a group of well-connected leaders, led by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, participated in a year-long Reinventing Our Communities (ROC) Cohort Program. The ROC Cohort Program is a capacity-building program for cross-sector community groups across the United States. Through the ROC Cohort Program, rural, suburban, and urban communities collaborate to develop local solutions that increase opportunities and strengthen their local economies.

The ROC Cohort leads included:

• Diane Harlow, (retired) Director of Workforce Strategy, Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce
• Karen Groh, President & CEO, Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce

Lebanon County ROC Leaders included:

• Kay Litman, former Executive Director, TEC Centro Lebanon- WEPA Empowerment Center
• Nicole Maurer Gray, Executive Director, Community Health Council of Lebanon County
• Delsie Calaman, (previously) Lebanon Site Administrator, PA CareerLink
• Miguel Garaby, Director of Distribution, Jonestown, VF Corporation
• Ralph Heister, Assistant Principal, Lebanon High School
• Gina-Lyn Crance, Ed. D, Assistant Vice President for Student Engagement & Belonging, Harrisburg Area Community College
• Melissa Sherwood, Assistant Director of Human Resources, Lebanon Valley College
• Jamie Yocum, President, G.F. Bowman
• Michael Johnson, General Manager, Walmart Supply Chain

Key Themes & Discussion Highlights

The discussion outlined Lebanon County’s valuable assets for workforce development, identified key barriers hindering their effectiveness, and explored opportunities for collaboration to enhance impact and equity within the community.

1. Identifying and Valuing Assets: Participants recognized that Lebanon County boasts a diverse range of assets that can be leveraged to enhance workforce development and equity. These assets span the categories of large and small employers, job training facilities, educational institutions, and community-specific support systems. The value of these assets lies in their capacity to provide employment opportunities, support skill development, and offer critical services for marginalized groups.
2. Barriers and Gaps: Despite the abundance of assets in Lebanon County, several barriers were identified that could limit their effectiveness. These included challenges related to transportation access, a lack of affordable childcare, and insufficient coordination between employers, training programs, and support services. Additionally, participants pointed out that specific populations, such as individuals with disabilities or non-English speakers, may face additional challenges in accessing and benefiting from these resources.
3. Opportunities for Maximizing Impact: Participants highlighted several opportunities for enhancing the impact of Lebanon County’s assets. These included creating stronger partnerships between large and small employers and educational institutions, expanding training opportunities, improving access to credentialing and licensing services, and developing more effective communication channels between community organizations and local businesses.
4. Potential Connections for Collaboration: The workshop emphasized the importance of collaboration. Several opportunities for connecting assets were identified, such as linking trade schools with large employers for internship and job placement opportunities, as well as fostering partnerships between childcare facilities and employment services to better support working parents. Collaborative efforts were seen as key to overcoming barriers and ensuring that resources are accessible and effective for the community.

Recommendations for Strengthening Community Assets and Workforce Development in Lebanon County

These recommendations aim to enhance Lebanon County’s workforce development system by addressing key barriers, maximizing community assets, and fostering a more inclusive and collaborative approach. By taking these actions, Lebanon County can build a stronger, more equitable workforce and improve its regional economic growth.

• Enhance Awareness and Accessibility of Services
  • 📢Action: Improve public awareness of available services, especially for programs like Career Link and its new location, through targeted outreach and marketing strategies (e.g., community events, social media campaigns).
  • ✅Impact: Ensuring that all community members are aware of and have access to resources will increase participation and the effectiveness of workforce development programs.
• Expand Vocational Training and Adult Education Programs
  • 📢Action: Increase offerings in vocational training, adult education, and certification programs by collaborating with trade schools, community colleges, and employers to expand curriculum that addresses the needs of adult learners.
  • ✅Impact: Addressing gaps in adult education, particularly in vocational training, will empower workers to obtain higher-paying jobs and improve regional workforce competitiveness.
• Improve Transportation Infrastructure
  • 📢Action: Collaborate with local government and community organizations to explore and develop transportation solutions (e.g., expanding public transit routes, forming transportation partnerships with employers) that enhance access to education, job training, and employment opportunities.
  • ✅Impact: Reducing transportation barriers will enhance access to services, especially for low-income and rural residents, enabling greater participation in workforce development programs.
• Increase Availability of Affordable Childcare Services
  • 📢Action: Collaborate with local businesses, childcare providers, and community organizations to increase the availability of affordable childcare services, particularly for working parents engaged in job training or education programs.
  • ✅Impact: Providing more accessible childcare will support working families, making it easier for individuals to participate in workforce development programs and improve job retention.
• Address Digital Access and Internet Connectivity
  • 📢Action: Expand internet access in rural areas through partnerships with internet service providers and community organizations. Promote affordable internet access programs, such as Comcast’s low-cost internet offering.
  • ✅Impact: Ensuring reliable and affordable internet access will enable more residents to participate in remote job training, educational programs, and virtual workforce support services.
• Foster Collaboration Between Community Organizations and Employers
  • 📢Action: Strengthen collaboration between community organizations, educational institutions, and local employers to align workforce development initiatives with employer needs, ensuring that job training programs produce skilled workers for the available job market.
  • ✅Impact: Enhancing collaboration will create a more direct pipeline from education and training programs to employment opportunities, improving the local economy and providing workers with job opportunities that align with their skills.
• Support and Build Capacity of Social Service Programs
  • 📢Action: Expand self-sufficiency programs like those offered by Lebanon County Christian Ministries and Jubilee Ministries by securing additional funding and resources, while ensuring that participation is open to all community members, regardless of religious affiliation.
  • ✅Impact: Increasing the capacity of social service programs will provide additional support to residents, addressing the broader socioeconomic factors that influence workforce participation and community well-being.
• Improve Access to Credentialing and Licensing Support
  • 📢Action: Work with local workforce development boards to create accessible programs for credentialing and licensing support for individuals entering fields that require specific certifications.
  • ✅Impact: Facilitating access to credentialing and licensing programs will enable workers to qualify for higher-skilled positions, increasing economic mobility and improving workforce retention in critical sectors.
• Engage Diverse Stakeholders in Workforce Development Conversations
  • 📢Action: Ensure that all community sectors—including employers, educational institutions, government agencies, and residents—are represented in workforce development discussions to ensure that initiatives reflect the needs of the entire community.
  • ✅Impact: Inclusive engagement in the planning process will ensure that all voices are heard and that workforce development strategies address the diverse needs of Lebanon County’s population.
• Develop Holistic Workforce Development Strategies
  • 📢Action: Integrate workforce development initiatives with health and social services, addressing the intersection between employment, housing, transportation, and health, to support workers holistically.
  • ✅Impact: A holistic approach to workforce development will create stronger, more resilient communities by addressing the broader factors that impact individuals’ ability to enter and stay in the workforce.
• Strengthen Workforce Alignment
  • 📢Action: Leverage organizations like the Lebanon Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) and Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce to align workforce providers and create focused initiatives that enhance local workforce development efforts.
  • ✅Impact: Streamlining workforce development efforts and aligning them with local needs will lead to a more cohesive and effective approach to regional economic growth.
• Address Socioeconomic Factors
  • 📢Action: Integrate workforce development with broader health and social initiatives, recognizing the impact of employment on health outcomes and addressing the social determinants of health.
  • ✅Impact: A comprehensive approach to workforce development will improve community well-being and create a healthier, more productive workforce.
• Leverage Existing Resources
  • 📢Action: Build on the existing social service structures and community assets to enhance workforce development efforts, avoiding duplication of services.
  • ✅Impact: Capitalizing on existing resources will make programs more efficient and cost-effective while maximizing their reach and impact across Lebanon County.

Next Steps for Strengthening Workforce Development in Lebanon County

Below are opportunities for Lebanon County to build on its existing community assets, address key barriers, and take decisive action toward creating a more equitable and sustainable workforce development system. These initiatives will foster collaboration, enhance community engagement, and ensure that all residents have the necessary resources and opportunities to thrive.

• Follow-Up Meetings
  • 📢Action: Organize follow-up meetings with key stakeholders to address identified barriers and develop concrete strategies for improving service delivery within the workforce development system.
  • ✅Impact: These meetings will help ensure that all stakeholders are aligned and have a clear understanding of the action steps needed to address barriers and enhance service effectiveness.
• Community Input
  • 📢Action: Gather input directly from community members through focus groups or surveys to assess their experiences, needs, and feedback on local services related to workforce development, education, and social support.
  • ✅Impact: Direct feedback from community members will provide valuable insights into the gaps and challenges they face, ensuring that workforce development initiatives are responsive and tailored to the needs of the community.
• Professional Development
  • 📢Action: Explore opportunities for training and professional development for stakeholders, including workforce providers, educators, and community organizations, to better equip them to address the needs identified during the asset mapping exercise.
  • ✅Impact: Professional development will enhance stakeholders’ capacity to implement effective workforce development strategies and ensure they are equipped to support diverse community needs.
• Follow-Up Workshops and Focus Groups
  • 📢Action: Hold additional workshops and focus groups, particularly on specific issues like childcare and digital access, to dive deeper into these areas and formulate concrete action plans for addressing them.
  • ✅Impact: These targeted workshops will allow for a focused exploration of critical issues, ensuring that concrete solutions are developed and implemented to address gaps in these essential areas.
• Collaborative Action Planning
  • 📢Action: Organize a regional summit with stakeholders from all sectors—business, education, government, and community organizations—to discuss the recommendations and coordinate them into actionable steps for workforce development.
  • ✅Impact: A regional summit will foster collaboration, allowing all sectors to align their efforts and create a unified strategy for addressing workforce development challenges and opportunities in Lebanon County.
• Data Collection and Monitoring
  • 📢Action: Establish a system for ongoing monitoring and evaluation of workforce development initiatives, collecting data on program outcomes to assess effectiveness and make adjustments as necessary.
  • ✅Impact: Ongoing monitoring and data collection will provide the insights needed to refine and improve workforce development strategies, ensuring that they are achieving desired outcomes and making a measurable impact on the community.

Conclusion

This exercise underscored the complexity of the community landscape in Lebanon County, highlighting both valuable assets and significant barriers to accessing services. The discussion specifically emphasized the importance of collaboration and proactive engagement to ensure that all community members can access the support they need. Moving forward, stakeholders are encouraged to work together to address these challenges and leverage existing resources, ensuring long-term, sustainable solutions for workforce development and community well-being. Continued collaboration and action will be key to driving meaningful change in Lebanon County.

The efforts to strengthen workforce development in Lebanon County represent a crucial step toward fostering a more equitable and sustainable local economy. Through collaborative asset mapping, valuable community resources were identified, along with key barriers that hinder the effectiveness of existing services. The recommendations outlined in this report may be useful in maximizing  the potential of its workforce development initiatives and better meet the diverse needs of its population.

The next steps outlined—from follow-up meetings and workshops to data collection and monitoring—will ensure that strategies are responsive, actionable, and continuously refined. By engaging stakeholders across sectors and gathering input directly from the community, Lebanon County will create a more inclusive and effective workforce development system tailored to local needs.

As these initiatives move forward, the focus on collaboration, professional development, and data-driven decision-making will help build a workforce that is resilient, skilled, and prepared to meet future challenges. The commitment to these next steps will be instrumental in shaping Lebanon County’s path toward a more equitable and thriving community for all its residents.