Press Releases

Wilkes-Barre, PA – Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) announced that the Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce received $313,000 for their Project PIVOT from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) CARES Act Recovery Assistance through the Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) program.

Project PIVOT is a collaborative program created and launched by Wilkes Barre Connect, the entrepreneurial and economic development arm of the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce. The program aims to provide accelerated workforce training and upskill opportunities for displaced workers aligning with historic and recent industry shifts as caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Congratulations to the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce and its partners for the launch of Project PIVOT,” said Rep. Matt Cartwright. “This initiative goes above and beyond our traditional workforce development offerings and provides free, remote access to valuable resources for job-seekers. Project PIVOT was made possible by a number of local partnerships along with funding from the CARES Act, which I was proud to fight for in Congress. I’m glad to see that funding be brought back to Northeastern Pennsylvania to serve our local workforce.”

“Our organization has made it a priority to ensure the workforce needs of our businesses and our residents are met as we work to rebuild and strengthen our economy. Project PIVOT allows for job seekers, those transitioning careers, and companies to find the resources they need in one place to accelerate the workforce training and upskill opportunities for workers in our area. We are grateful for the support of Congressman Cartwright, the U.S. Economic Development Administration, and all of our legislators and our partners who made this initiative possible. This innovative system allows for pathways to high demand careers to be aligned using national, state and local resources while also allowing all residents of Luzerne County to upskill themselves for elevated career opportunities. Having a skilled workforce aligned to the needs of our economic landscape is critical to our next steps post COVID-19 as we all work together for a bright and strong future,” said Lindsay Griffin, President & CEO Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce.

 To get started using Project PIVOT, interested individuals and businesses can visit https://www.wyomingvalleychamber.org/wilkes-barre-connect/project-pivot/ to fill out an intake form and begin the registration process.

For more information or questions on the program, inquiries can be directed to Shanie Mohamed at Shanie@wyomingvalleychamber.org or 570-408-1720.