ASME kicks off Regional Workforce Conference program in Philadelphia

Next month, ASME's new Center for Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation will offer the first in a proposed series of Regional Workforce Education and Training Best Practices Conferences for the science, engineering, and technology community.

The conference will take place on May 18 at the Philadelphia Marriott.

The purpose of the conference will be to highlight, educate, and provide awareness on workforce education and training best practices in the area defined by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration as its Philadelphia Region. That region includes states along the Eastern seaboard from Maine through Virginia and Washington, D.C., as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

This new conference will address the current and emerging challenges by linking the most innovative regional programs in place to support the educational and career pathways of high school students, university and college graduates, first-job holders, individuals changing jobs, and adult learners.

ASME President Terry E. Shoup and Gov. Edward Rendell of Pennsylvania are scheduled to provide opening remarks at the event.

Speakers appearing at the Regional Workforce Education and Training Best Practices Conference will include Rosa Buxeda from the University of Puerto Rico Biotech Learning Center, Gail Carberry of Quinsigamond Community College, John J. Cavan of Southside Virginia Community College, Scott Dietz from the Life Sciences Pipeline Initiative, Matt Dozier of the EAST Initiative, Dana Egreczky from the Business Coalition for Educational Excellence, and Robert K. Ehrmann of the Penn State Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization.

Also participating in the conference's panel discussions will be Joseph Houldin of the Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center, Jerry Knight of the Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing, Kevin O'Sullivan from Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives, Richard Seline from New Economy Strategies, Susan Shaffer from Wall Street West, and Joseph P. Welsh from the Collegiate Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development.

If you are interested in registering, or would like more information, contact Benjamin Johnston at the ASME Washington Office by e-mail at JohnstonB@asme.org, or visit the Regional Workforce Education and Training Best Practices Conference Web page, www.asme.org/events/workforce.

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