Workforce Development

Career ready—this is the goal of the Hanover Chamber’s Workforce Development Programs. Noting the need for a talented and competitive workforce, the Chamber set out to educate and develop the future workforce nearly 20 years ago. Our programs have grown to be widely successful, thanks to key partnerships with local schools, businesses, and manufacturers. The Chamber’s Workforce Development Program allows the area's future workforce to learn about job opportunities in their hometown. Skilled employees are needed in key areas, including welding, industrial maintenance, quality control, physics, electronics, healthcare and more. Bridging the gap between young talent and local businesses is the key to our future.

In March of 2017, the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce became the first Chamber in Pennsylvania to submit a Chamber Apprenticeship Model that was approved by the PA Department of Labor and Industry. Since then, several high school students have participated in high school pre-apprenticeship programs and upon graduation transitioned to paid apprenticeship opportunities with local employers. Since 2017, the Chamber has received approximately $300,000 in grants to purchase equipment for high schools and pay training costs for pre-apprentices and apprentices.
Going forward, the Chamber will continue to make talent development a priority by focusing on long-term strategies for backfilling, upskilling, career pathway development, and succession planning.

Experiences for Businesses and Educators

A hands-on experience allowing teachers, counselors, and administrators to spend time at a business or organization to identify the skills that students will need to be successful in the workplace.
Share your profession with students at a local school by speaking to classes about your work experience, how you found your career path, and any work-related training or education that is necessary for a specific career or profession.
Career exploration that allows students to gain exposure to possible professions they are interested in by working with business volunteers. During this time, students will meet with a professional, define career goals, and learn how knowledge gained in the classroom relates to success in the workplace.
An internship is a structured career preparation work experience where students are placed at a workplace for an established period of time. During this time, students will observe and participate in work firsthand within a specific industry. Student performance is assessed based off given learning objectives and students earn school credit.
A group visit for the purpose of first-hand experience at worksites. Students will learn about the business, observe work in progress, meet employees, and ask questions relating to the business.
Apprenticeships combine classroom and workplace experience, allowing students to explore different crafts and trades. Students will learn necessary workplace skills, strengthen both academic and technical skills, explore careers in the trades, and enter paid apprenticeship training upon the completion of high school.
Students demonstrate mastery of career-related skills through competitions or presentations that are judged by professionals of that field. Presentations or competitions display the accumulation of student efforts over time.
A mock interview is a simulated job interview with a professional. This is a tool to teach students how to answer questions, develop interview strategies, practice communication skills, and build confidence for interviews.
Advisors offer guidance on the latest industry trends and provide input on curriculum and course design that can be espoused by local school districts. Advisors will meet with school districts by pathways as follows: Engineering and Industrial Technology; Science and Health; Arts and Communications; Business Finance and Information Technology and Human Services; Skilled Trades.
During a mentorship, a student is paired one-on-one with a professional in that student’s field of interest to explore a career, career interests, and development issues in the workplace. The mentor serves as a resource for the student by providing guidance and advice about the workplace, careers, and educational requirements.