Chester County CareerLink this week moved from Coatesville to the Oaklands Corporate Center.

The new office opened May 19 at 479 Thomas Jones Way, Suite 500, Exton, Pa. 19341-2580. The office may be reached by phone at 610-280-1010 phone, and fax 610-280-1013.

Gov. Tom Corbett recently announced the award of 10 JOBS1st PA Regional Partnership grants to Local Workforce Investment Boards like the CareerLink office to better align resources and training efforts across the state. The grants, totaling $4,056,000, will be used to develop employer-driven training programs to help job seekers acquire the skills needed to match jobs available now and into the future. The Southeast region, which includes the local CareerLink office, is getting $500,000 for programming and training opportunities.

Pat Bokovitz, director of the Chester County Department of Community Development, said the funds will be shared between Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. He said the funding will bolster existing programs, and will also focus on encouraging young people to get training for manufacturing jobs.

Bokovitz said CareerLink will develop some innovative manufacturing internships and strengthen the existing “Careers in Two Years” program for job seekers.

“When I meet with job creators, one of their most important needs is a highly skilled workforce that is prepared to take on the jobs of the 21st century,” said Corbett, adding that creative, employer driven initiatives will strengthen what he considers to be the best workforce in the nation.

The JOBS1stPA Regional Partnership grants were awarded through the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry’s Re-employment Fund. Grants were awarded based on requested funding amounts and proposed activities by a review team comprised of representatives from both the Department of Labor and Industry and the Department of Community and Economic Development.

“We have an incredibly strong, talented and dedicated workforce at just over 6.4 million people – larger than the individual populations of 33 states,” said Corbett. “It truly is our people – their creativity, ingenuity, talents and skills – who drive companies to make Pennsylvania home.”

In 2012, Gov. Corbett launched JOBS1st PA as a comprehensive roadmap to economic recovery that harnessed the state’s resources and talents to prioritize private-sector job creation and retention. Corbett’s office said the state unemployment rate stands at a five-year low and that jobs have been growing on a consistent basis for nearly four years.

Links: www.pacareerlinkchesco.org