Community Tour: Lebanon County

In Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, community partners and employers are joining forces to expand job training opportunities for in-demand careers. Philadelphia Fed President and CEO Anna Paulson got a firsthand look at these initiatives during her October 7 visit, which was part of her District-wide listening tour.

During her travels across the Third District, President Paulson is engaging with community leaders, business owners, and residents to gather information on local economic conditions. These interactions offer key insights into how people and communities experience the economy and inform her views on monetary policy.

"Connecting these conversations with the data helps me to see the full picture of our region's economy so I can bring that perspective into national monetary policy discussions," President Paulson said.

In the city of Lebanon, the county seat of Lebanon County, President Paulson toured Tec Centro Lebanon, which is part of the WEPA Empowerment Center. The center was founded by Lebanon residents and community leaders Rafael and Maribel Torres, who say they were inspired by their own experiences in the workforce and the growing needs of the community. In 2022, they spearheaded efforts to refurbish a historic building in the city into an adult education and workforce training facility where job and career aspirations could be nurtured and workers are empowered to build their financial futures. This mission is evident in the center's name, which stands for Working to Empower People for Advancement.

"Our goal is to lift the community up by investing in our residents," Rafael Torres said. "The center is a space for everyone to do better."

The Tec Centro Lebanon - WEPA Empowerment Center provides bilingual workforce training for in-demand sectors such as healthcare, office technology, and manufacturing. The center's approach, which is focused on community needs, also encompasses adult education programs and job readiness support, including workplace English, GED preparation, résumé assistance, and digital and financial literacy training. Since the opening of the healthcare training suite in 2024, more than 110 individuals have completed courses to become phlebotomists, nurse aides, medical technicians, forklift operators, and more.

Lebanon resident Brian Raub was among the center's first healthcare program graduates. He completed the Medical Assistant Program earlier this year and currently works at a local outpatient care facility. During the tour, he noted some of the challenges workers can face as a result of job training or career changes, such as childcare, family responsibilities, commuting costs, and educational or work requirements. The center, he said, helps individuals remove these obstacles so that they can focus on their program and achieving success.

At the Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce, President Paulson sat down with community and business leaders for a roundtable discussion about the region's economy. Participants emphasized the significance of a collaborative approach to workforce development that equips both students and workers with the necessary skills for quality jobs. Additionally, they highlighted the importance of connecting individuals to local resources to support their success.

Participants talked about some of the local partnerships and innovative strategies that have created more pathways to jobs and careers in high-demand fields, including hosting employer-led trainings at the WEPA Empowerment Center. Many said their participation in the Philadelphia Fed's Reinventing Our Communities (ROC) Cohort Program in 2024 helped foster these connections.

Karen Groh, president and CEO of the Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce, co-led the Lebanon ROC cohort and highlighted the value that collaborating across sectors and industries brings to workforce development.

"Getting to know Lebanon County and learning about the depth of dedication to the community is truly inspiring," said President Paulson. "The hard work that so many partners are doing to invest in their workers and strengthen their local economies is impressive and something I will infuse into my conversations on monetary policy and its impact on people's lives."