PCCE- Juniata College (Economic Opportunity)

The Huntingdon Area School District serves a community where 40% of the Class of ¿25¿¿26 plans to enter the workforce immediately after graduation and most residents do not hold a four-year degree. In rural communities, limited access to clear school-to-work pathways contributes to employment barriers, economic instability, and youth outmigration.

This project, hosted by Juniata College in partnership with HASD, strengthens place-based school-to-work pathways aligned with local workforce needs. Working with guidance counselors and community partners, the project will improve systems that connect students to employment, training, and credentialing opportunities so young people can build viable futures in their home community.

The VISTA member will build HASD¿s capacity by strengthening partnerships with local employers, workforce agencies, and training providers, and by creating reusable tools such as senior transition checklists, career-readiness resources, funding trackers, and apprenticeship guides that will be embedded into school systems for long-term use.

In Year 1, the Workforce Development Coordinator (WDC) focused on relationship-building and identifying needs. In Year 2, the WDC will finalize a shared Economic Stability Vision and develop a strategic plan for implementation. In Year 3, the WDC will help establish leadership structures to sustain and assess programming long-term.