Johnson College to take part in Building Futures Skilled Trades Coalition Johnson College was invited to participate in the Lowe’s Foundation Building Futures Skilled Trades Coalition, the largest cross-sector skilled trades coalition in U.S. history. The coalition brings together more than 75 organizations from across the country to help train and develop 1 million people for skilled trades careers by 2035. The coalition comes as the United States faces a significant skilled trades workforce shortage, with an estimated 2.1 million skilled trades jobs potentially going unfilled by 2030, according to the U.S. Department of Education. For Johnson College, the initiative builds on more than a century of preparing students for careers in the skilled trades and its continued commitment to meeting workforce needs through career and technical education. “Preparing skilled technicians and technologists for meaningful careers has always been at the heart of what we do,” said Dr. Katie Pittelli, president and CEO of Johnson College. “Being invited to join this coalition allows us to work alongside organizations across the country to create more opportunities for people to discover, prepare for and succeed in the skilled trades.” The coalition brings together educators, businesses, workforce organizations, corporate leaders, industry vendors and other stakeholders, including NVIDIA, AT&T, Bank of America, Carrier, General Motors, DEWALT and Duke Energy. The Building Futures Skilled Trades Coalition will focus on three key areas: Changing perceptions of careers in the skilled trades; Investing in, connecting and scaling proven training and credentialing solutions; and Collectively measuring progress from training to employment. The coalition builds on the Lowe’s Foundation’s Gable Grants program, which launched in 2023 and has grown into a national network of 73 community colleges and nonprofits across 30 states. Johnson College was one of just 12 institutions of higher education nationwide selected to receive a Lowe’s Foundation Gable Grant in 2025, receiving $450,000 to support skilled trades education. The success of the Gable Grants program helped lead the foundation to expand its national mission to train and develop 250,000 tradespeople by 2035 through a $250 million investment. Coalition members will work across industries, including construction, automotive manufacturing, telecommunications, energy, HVAC, technology and financial services, to strengthen the skilled trades talent pipeline from recruitment through career advancement.
Blue Zones Project Community Transformation Presentation Valley In Motion, a non-profit based in Mayfield, PA, is leading a coalition of health care organizations, foundations, and others to help NEPA become a Blue Zones Community. “Blue Zones” are places where entire communities live significantly longer, healthier, and more active lives. A National Geographic study identified the commonalities across the Blue Zones areas that have led to their longevity and vitality. More than 50 communities across the United States have started the journey to become a Blue Zones Community. We’d like NEPA to be next. This transformation is a large, multi-disciplinary effort that involves the entire community – schools, restaurants, grocery stores, government, businesses, faith-based organizations, and individuals. It works if we all get behind it. As a leader in our community, we are thrilled to invite you to participate in an input session that will help the Blue Zones Project team learn more about NEPA and how employers are supporting employee wellbeing across NEPA. We ask for your help in representing employers in your region and sharing your ideas about the unique strengths, challenges, and opportunities for improving well-being in our community. There will be three “worksite wellness” sessions held April 27 – April 30. Space is limited, so please review the schedule and RSVP today. Join us to hear more about Blue Zones Project in the morning to learn more about Blue Zones Project from their expert team. Blue Zones Project Community Transformation PresentationTuesday April 27, 20219:00 amLOCATION: Virtual event. RSVP for detailsRSVP: go.bluezonesproject.com/NEPA For the input session schedule and to RSVP for any of the events, visit: go.bluezonesproject.com/NEPA. If you have questions, please contact Gus Fahey, President, Valley In Motion at gus@valleyinmotion.org. We hope you can join us to learn more about Blue Zones Project and how it can transform the future of NEPA!
