Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said of literacy:

"Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope. It is a tool for daily life in modern society. It is a bulwark against poverty, and a building block of development, an essential complement to investments in roads, dams, clinics and factories. Literacy is a platform for democratization, and a vehicle for the promotion of cultural and national identity. Especially for girls and women, it is an agent of family health and nutrition. For everyone, everywhere, literacy is, along with education in general, a basic human right.... Literacy is, finally, the road to human progress and the means through which every man, woman and child can realize his or her full potential."

The Education Committee of the Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board has made adult literacy a priority in our two county area.  In evaluating the needs of adult learners in our area we recognized that they needed special skills to be able to move forward into post secondary education and be successful.  Among these skills are advanced computer instruction, time management skills, research skills and college level writing instruction, study skills and the basic mechanics of exactly how to maneuver through the post-secondary system.  To that end, with the cooperation of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Career Gateway was created.  Career Gateway provides information and instruction in all of these areas and more.  It provides a support and educational system for the adult learner who has been dislocated or who has been out of school for some time and through this support it empowers them to be able to successfully re-enter the educational system poised for success.

The partnership that the Workforce Investment Board has fostered between Westmoreland County Community College, The Private Industry Council, Fayette County Community Action, Intermediate Unit No. 1, the Alle-Kiski Learning Center as well as the Westmoreland, Fayette and Alle-Kiski CareerLinks will enable adult learners in Westmoreland and Fayette Counties to be able to not only access adult education services in one location – their local CareerLink – but also to have more choices and therefore more chances at success as they move into post-secondary education and training.  

This is a great time for adult learners throughout our area.  To open more opportunities for citizens of Westmoreland and Fayette Counties to become employed with a family sustaining wage as well as having the skills to be able to achieve post-secondary degrees and be able to access learning opportunities in our counties throughout their lifetimes is the ultimate goal of this initiative. 

If you would like more information about the Career Gateway program, please contact your local CareerLink.  The staff will be happy to answer any and all of your questions!

Westmoreland CareerLink - 724-755-2330

Fayette CareerLink - 724-434-5627

Alle-Kiski CareerLink - 724-334-8600