Workforce Development

Authored by: Kathleen Kuznicki, Patent Attorney, The Lynch Law Group

In its role of being a thought leader and a community advocate, the PNRC has commissioned its Legislative and Economic Development Committee to record a series of videos having committee members interviewing persons from various organizations/industries to get their perspectives on Workforce Development.

We hope to educate our members about the challenges businesses are facing in various industry sectors and what best practices are being implemented to resolve these challenges. I would like to highlight two more of the organizations that have participated in the project:

F5 Facility Services-offers all trades within one company having licensed electricians, plumbers, HVAC techs, carpenters, painters, concrete crews, and masons. F5 specializes in commercial and industrial facility services serving business in the Greater Pittsburgh area as well as in Ohio and West Virginia. F5 is committed to working closely with all their customers to meet all their needs and expectations, to ensure their facility is always running efficiently, to quickly respond to specific issues, and to maintain healthy long-term relationships. Ryan Hankey, the Human Resources Director & Safety/Fleet Manager for F5, discusses how they place a high priority on their employees by enhancing their skill sets, giving them opportunities for growth, and offering exemplary benefits/perks. F5 also focuses on enhancing their relationship with their employees by doing such things as providing many family company events. You can find our interview here.

Focal Point Business Coach Geoff Zak-Geoff has almost 25 years of experience in the bar and restaurant industry overlapping with 10 years in leadership roles in the nonprofit sector. Geoff works with businesses needing targeted leadership and directs the growth of workforce development initiatives. Geoff can navigate the unique challenges of start-up endeavors, as well as the challenges of established companies experiencing complex staffing, leadership, and operational issues. Watch our interview with Geoff here where he discusses how employers should value employees and why they should focus on retention-based practices. For finding new employees, he describes how businesses should have a “unique hiring proposition” to standout from other employers and to create a culture that caters to their employees.