The South Central PA Region is facing critical workforce shortages. The GIANT Company and Bake Crafters recognized a need to upskill incumbent employees.

The eight-week GIANT Credentialing Program, in partnership with HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College; Harrisburg University of Science and Technology; and Shippensburg University job training pilot program, develops essential employability skills for front-line leaders with an employer-driven curriculum focused on creating a management/leadership career pathway through each company. The program will reskill dislocated workers and upskill incumbent workers.

The goal is to create a course model that will expand across other industries and regions in the Commonwealth. Non-credit to credit pathways are an essential path forward for non-traditional populations. Future work within this program will focus on granting credit for prior learning and experience. Adult students will work and learn at their own pace in a flexible environment that provides stackable credentials across three higher education institutions.

This pilot will initially focus on the agri-business industry cluster, specifically grocery retail and food manufacturing. Phase 2 will expand to support the needs of the healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and logistics/transportation industries represented by large regional employers and have a significant demand for employee pipeline and upskilling of their incumbent workforce. 

The partnership recently expanded to include the PASSHE Foundation and the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL). The expanded partnership received an Industry Partnership grant from the PA Department of Labor & Industry that will help grow the program.

If you want to learn more about this collaboration, please contact Lorelee Isbell, Executive Director of Career, Mentoring, and Professional Development Center, Shippensburg University at lisbell@ship.edu or 717-477-1348, ext. 3275.