PA CareerLink® remains steadfast to its mission: to provide support and services to help job seekers achieve personal goals to ensure lasting employment in the region. PA CareerLink® Career Advisors use labor market information to help job seekers throughout their career path journey.

In addition to the abundant PA CareerLink® supports and services, including one-on-one career counseling, we provide resources to inform our decision-making and access to up-to-date labor market statistics. These tools are beneficial, especially when job seekers are unsure what they want to do. They include:

  • https://www.workstats.dli.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx – This is the key site that informs PA CareerLink® Career Advisors and clients on local wage information and job growth trends.
  • https://www.careeronestop.org/ – This valuable site helps PA CareerLink® Career Advisors by providing data on wage comparisons, locally, statewide, and nationally.
  • https://www.onetonline.org/ – This site provides labor statistics and outlooks for different professions. For example, if a job is projected to have an incline in need or a decline. It also houses tools to help translate military, and other skills, into the civilian sector. The site also has an interest inventory and narrows down results with an overview of jobs, what education is needed, and wage comparison information on a local, statewide, and national level.

These resources and intense training prepare PA CareerLink® Career Advisors to help job seekers down their career paths. Gwen Fisher, Site Administrator of PA CareerLink® Blair County, says, “My team and every team across the Southern Allegheny Counties has the knowledge, training, and resources necessary to help direct job seekers effectively. Labor market information shapes our advice and direction, and support. However, our personal connections and relationships with job seekers take it one step further as we deliver one-on-one customized service.”

Spotlight on Blair County

In Blair County, Career Planner Cheryl Moser has worked closely with Blair County resident Rasoul Speight to help him navigate career development and life obstacles to find lasting employment.

At first, Rasoul wasn’t sure what he wanted to do, but through some self-discovery and discussion with Cheryl, he aimed to get a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Cheryl knew from labor market information that demand is high for CDL licensed drivers, and she knew opportunity existed for Rasoul with the proper training and preparation.

Rasoul Speight grew up in Essex County, New Jersey, and aspired to start over and start a new life in Pennsylvania. He ran into some life obstacles and found himself in a tough place; however, once he moved to Blair County, he discovered PA CareerLink® and was able to turn his life around.

“I learned about PA CareerLink® online, and then one day I was dropping off my kids at school, and I saw the PA CareerLink® sign outside the Altoona Library,” Rasoul shares.

That was day one. Rasoul realized what he needed to do to improve his life, and he found an organization that would help him do it. In Rasoul’s words, “I went to the library that day and talked with PA CareerLink®. I realized I needed to step forward and get the help I needed.”

“Cheryl was very determined to help me get my life on track. We started from ground zero, so to speak; I moved here without a job and was struggling,” Rasoul explains. Cheryl stuck by him and walked him through the needed steps to rebuild his life and find lasting employment.

Cheryl, using labor market information and her training, did the following for Rasoul:

  • Conducted an initial assessment to determine if any additional education was needed for him to be accepted into CDL school. It was, and Cheryl coordinated schooling at Altoona’s Adult Education Center to help Rasoul improve math scores. After three weeks of support, Rasoul passed the exam.
  • Coordinated with the Clearfield County Career & Technology Center enabling Rasoul’s acceptance into the CDL program.
  • Coordinated the grant application process, and Rasoul was approved.
  • Provided resume builder resources; sites that were helpful with employment needs; and a hotline for help during the difficult times. The hotline assisted with healthcare, cash assistance, childcare, living services, etc.
  • Coordinated participation in an employment goal program that helped evaluate and assess Rasoul in achieving his goal.
  • Used https://www.careeronestop.org/ as a tool to understand what the local region offers in terms of jobs and income.

“Cheryl was so hands-on and went above and beyond. She takes the time to get to know her clients and what they need – she understood my goals and my needs and worked with me one-on-one the entire time.”

Rasoul did obtain his CDL and is now happily employed full-time with a local Altoona transportation company. He and his family are doing well. He and Cheryl keep in touch.

PA CareerLink®-Bedford County
Hours: Monday-Friday 8 am – 4 pm; Friday 9 am – 4 pm
Phone: 814-623-6107
TTY: 814-623-6029

PA CareerLink®-Blair County
Hours: Monday-Thursday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm; Friday 9 am – 4:30 pm
Phone: 814-940-6200
TTY: 814-569-1066

PA CareerLink®-Cambria County
Hours: Monday-Thursday 8 am – 4 pm; Friday 9 am – 4 pm
Phone: 814-534-2500
TTY: 814-534-2511

PA CareerLink®-Huntingdon County
Hours: Monday-Friday 8 am – 4 pm
Phone: 814-641-6408
TTY: 1-866-395-0149

Employment and Training Inc.
Affiliate site of the PA CareerLink® Huntingdon-Fulton County
Hours: Monday-Friday 8 am – 4 pm
Phone: 717-485-5131
TTY: 717-485-3970

PA CareerLink®-Somerset County
Hours: Monday-Thursday 8 am – 4 pm; Friday 9 am – 4 pm
Phone: 814-445-4161
TTY: 814-444-5814