By RICK KAZMER
Community Relationship & Marketing Manager
Experts in early childhood education and other community leaders gathered for an informative breakfast forum on April 23 at Ace's in Johnstown to discuss our future workforce — and why that planning starts earlier than most people might think.
The panel of experts -- former state Education Secretary and educator Dr. Jerry Zahorchak, The Learning Lamp and Ignite Education Solutions President and CEO Dr. Leah Spangler, United Way of Pennsylvania Public Policy Director Melody Zimmerman, and United Way of the Southern Alleghenies Early Childhood Systems Coordinator Lauren Lazzari -- discussed factors impacting early learning and, as a result, our future workforce.
"Explaining the world to our youngest learners makes such a difference in their lives," Lazzari said.
The forum was hosted by UWSA and the Cambria Regional Chamber in an effort to bring together industry professionals with workplace partners. About 40 people attended.
Taxes, zoning, and wage concerns were addressed. The panelists agreed that low wages for child care educators and dwindling child care spots are among problems facing the industry. Those factors in turn impact families that don't have reliable access to the services. They then miss work or go unemployed, creating a compounded economic problem.
Zimmerman described many jobs held by adults in working families as "the workforce behind the workforce."
For these households, classified as ALICE by United Way, a $400 car repair could create a crisis that wipes out savings. ALICE stands for Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed. ALICE jobholders are among the 2-out-of-5 Pennsylvanians who struggle to make ends meet. Often, they earn more than the federal poverty limit, negating their eligibility for public aid. If they do qualify, a modest raise can put them above the threshold, lowering their overall financial security.
Zimmerman called this paradox the "benefits cliff." It's a scary ledge when considering the annual infant care cost is $13,354.
The experts said that investment in early learners is a deposit for future success. Spangler noted that 90% of a child's brain development happens before age 5.
UWSA President & CEO Karen Struble added that successful education programs help to "build tomorrow's workforce," which was a central theme for the forum.
Children's books on the tables asked the question "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Encouraging kids to think about the possibilities and providing them with the tools for success will help to make the region "the best place to live, work, and raise a family," Struble said.
Zahorchak, a lifetime educator and policymaker, said the 0-8 age range is the most important of them all. Many of the attendees who were in the early childhood field nodded their heads in approval.
"It means we need to teach a lot of other people to know what we know," he said. "The business community needs to spend time with all of you."