NEW: Registration Extended to April 24th for the 12th Annual Sharing Skills ~ Building ConnectionsConference

For Immediate Release

Contact:

Michael Sherry
617-646-1026
msherry@oneillandassoc.com

Registration Extended for the 12th Annual Sharing Skills ~ Building ConnectionsConference

(Marlborough, MA)– The Commonwealth Workforce Coalition (CWC) has extended registration for the 12th Annual Sharing Skills ~ Building Connections Conference, to be held on Thursday, May 7th at the Sturbridge Inn and Conference Center in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. CWC is a statewide initiative that seeks to strengthen the capacity of Massachusetts’ education, training, and workforce system to produce better employment and earnings outcomes for unemployed and underemployed residents. CWC is a community development program managed by the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC).

Reflecting the need for job seekers to be able to set both strategic short-term and long-term goals for their career, the theme of the 2015 conference is Career Ready: For Today and Tomorrow. The requirements it takes to be career-ready today have changed due to labor market demands impacted by new technology and the need for higher skill levels. These ever present changes necessitate the ability of job seekers to both focus in the here and now, while also planning ahead for the next step. This year’s Sharing Skills ~ Building Connections Conference will help workforce development professionals develop strategies to aid their clients. The keynote speaker will be Secretary Ronald L. Walker, II, of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. Secretary Walker oversees five labor and workforce development agencies and is the chair of the Workforce Skills Cabinet.

For over a decade, the annual conference has served as an opportunity for workforce development professionals to learn about tools and resources to improve skills training, education, and job placement services to the Massachusetts workforce. In 2014, the conference brought together more than 350 participants, exhibitors and presenters from across Massachusetts to network and enhance the tools that career counselors use to help job-seeking men and women. For a full conference schedule, to become a sponsor or exhibitor, or to register, please visithttp://cwc.cedac.org/2015Conference.html.

“Massachusetts is experiencing a robust economic recovery, but there are still many people here who are without the skills they need to get ahead,” said Roger Herzog, CEDAC’s executive director. “Every year, we bring together the Commonwealth’s workforce development professional community to give them the skills and training they need to help their clients. Ensuring that job-seekers have access to opportunity is a key building block for strong communities and compliments CEDAC’s work with affordable housing and child care organizations.”

About Commonwealth Workforce Coalition

The mission of the Commonwealth Workforce Coalition (CWC) is to strengthen the capacity of Massachusetts’ community-based education, training, and employment system to produce better employment and earnings outcomes for low income residents and low wage workers. CWC accomplishes this by:

· Partnering with statewide agencies, businesses, and community-based organizations;

· Promoting professional networking and sharing through regional networks and the annual statewide conference;

· Developing and facilitating professional development workshops, institutes, and customized trainings;

· Supporting organizational development through technical assistance; and

· Connecting the field to relevant resources, tools, and best practices.

For more information, visit http://cwc.cedac.org.

About CEDAC

CEDAC is a public-private community development finance institution that provides financial resources and technical expertise for community-based and other non-profit organizations engaged in effective community development in Massachusetts. CEDAC’s work supports three key building blocks of community development: affordable housing, workforce development, and early care and education. CEDAC is also active in national housing preservation policy research and development and is widely recognized as a leader in the non-profit community development industry. For additional information on CEDAC and its current projects, please visit www.cedac.org.