Business Briefs are a quick way to stay up-to-date on what’s happening around Chester County.

P2E Program Comes to Chester County

Orientation for the county’s Pennsylvania’s first Platform to Employment program was held on September 1 at the PA CareerLink-Chester County offices in Oakland’s Corporate Center.

The P2E program, run by the Bridgeport based The WorkPlace, is a five-week preparatory program to teach essential business skills to people who have been unemployed for more than 27 weeks to help them secure employment.

The key element that tipped the balance and encouraged Chester County’s Commissioners to spend the $175,000 required to kick start the program, is the format which consists of a five-week ’bootcamp’, after which participants are matched with local employers that pay their salary for the next four weeks.

Cheryl Spaulding, a big local proponent of the program and founder of Joseph’s People in Downingtown said “I can provide the assistance with resumés and with interview techniques but I can’t provide one thing that P2E does, and it’s the most important thing, a job at the end of the process.”

Water and Sewer Upgrades for Western Chester County

Pennsylvania American Water announced on Friday the beginning of projects worth $9.7 million to upgrade its water and sewer systems for their customers in Western Chester County and a portion of Lancaster County.

Approximately $3.2 million will be invested in the company’s sewer system improvements for the City of Coatesville and Valley Township, and close to $6.5 million will be devoted to the rehabilitation of the water mains in West Sadsbury Township, Atglen Borough, Sadsbury Township and Bart Township.

No traffic will be impacted by the works, nor will water and sewer services be affected during construction.

“With this significant investment of close to $10 million,” said James Gable, Pennsylvania American Water’s Coatesville Operations Superintendant, “Pennsylvania American Water is demonstrating its commitment to replace and upgrade aging infrastructure, so that our customers receive reliable water and wastewater service for many years to come.”

75 Years of Kennett Symphony

Gifting us with wonderful music since 1940, the Kennett Symphony of Chester County is launching its 75th anniversary season with a program of celebration and a selection of ‘firsts’.

Chester County’s only fully professional symphony orchestra’s 2015-2016 75th Anniversary season will include a world premiere commission in honor of the 75th anniversary, a free Thank You Concert for the community, new performance venues, and special events in celebration of this landmark achievement.

Among the planned events are the 75th Anniversary Opening Night Concert, Immortal Beethoven, and Symphony under the Stars with the theme Postcards from Abroad – A Musical Journey through Europe.

Subscriptions and tickets for the anniversary season are on sale now, with special discounts and benefits applicable for subscriptions. Student ticket prices are also available.

For the full program with dates, program and performers please see here.

New Belgium Brewery Arrives in Exton

After signing contracts with twelve distributors in Pennsylvania back in April, Colorado’s New Belgium Brewing is finally coming to the state and has chosen Exton as its first location.

To mark the occasion, you can be one of the first to try out these unique beers by attending the New Belgium Tap Takeover at the Pour House in Exton, on September 2 (5-7pm). The event is a landmark for New Belgium as it is now available in 39 states.

The event will feature the classic that started it all, the Fat Tire, with the additional selection of eight other year rounds and specials including La Folie, a sour brown ale; Coca Molé, brewed with caramel, chocolate and chilies and Eric’s Ale, a wood-aged peach-spiked sour beer.