A new program by the Hispanic Center of Lehigh Valley and St. Luke’s University Health Network just received $450,000 in state funding to bring workforce development centers to South Bethlehem and Allentown Monday.
The program is expected to provide skill-based training, employment services and bilingual case management and address other unmet needs of local families, according to a news release.
“The announcement (Monday) marks a new era for the Hispanic Center, one that expands our ability to meet the needs of our community and push the needle closer towards breaking the cycle of poverty for individuals and families in the Lehigh Valley,” said Olga Negrón, board president for the Hispanic Center of Lehigh Valley.
The center will also partner with Northampton Community College and The Literacy Center to train participants interested in careers in health care, initially, before expanding its services to other in-demand industries in the region, the release stated.
The center did not immediately return a message about the anticipated launch date for the program.
“(The investment) embodies the mission of the Hispanic Center, which in part is to empower our community to be self-sufficient, while promoting the soft and hard skills necessary to succeed in the workplace,” Executive Director Victoria Montero said in the release.
State Sen. Pat Browne secured the funding through the state’s annual budget allocations, a spokesperson for the senator said.
“Our people are the bedrock of our workforce and only when we invest in our people, can our community and economy flourish,” Browne said in the release. “I am proud to work with HCLV and their partners on this collaborative and transformative vision.”
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Glenn Epps can be reached at gepps@lehighvalleylive.com or glenn_epps_ on Twitter.
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