Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s recent decision to eliminate the requirement for a four-year college degree for most state jobs is looking like it’s part of a popular trend. 

If employers in the Lehigh Valley want skilled workers, they may need to take on a bigger role in getting workers those skills. 

Workers are in short supply and employers are pulling out all the stops to attract talent. Just drive around. The question is why. Local schools and county workforce and economic development organizations are working together to answer the question and find short and long-term solutions.

Lehigh Valley received $1.6 million from the state to entice workers to finish their education and return to the workforce after COVID 19 shut down most of the economy for more than a year.

Workforce Board Lehigh Valley Executive Director Nancy Dischinat will be joined by the presidents of Northamption Community College and Lehigh Carbon Community College on at 1:30 p.m. July 8 at CareerLink Lehigh Valley, 555 Union Boulevard, Allentown to announce the details.

Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Acting Secretary Jennifer Berrier visited Lehigh Carbon Community College in Schnecksville Monday to promote a proposed job training program for “Near Completers.”

The region’s jobs posting site, CareerLink Lehigh Valley has more than 6,000 listings right now and there are more than 123,000 job postings on Pennsylvania’s statewide CareerLink.