Greater Reading Chamber Alliance Launching Innovative Talent Attraction Program

Connecting employers with prospective new Greater Reading residents just got easier with the launch of the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance’s (GRCA) Meet Greater Reading talent attraction program. The new service is designed to connect prospective residents and job seekers with local companies.

To address the No. 1 pain point of talent attraction for local companies, GRCA is working with RoleCall, a national talent attraction consulting agency, to build out this program. The program will have a trial run from September through the end of the year, with an official launch coming in January 2024.

“A vibrant and skilled workforce is vital to the success of local businesses and our economy. This initiative aims to bolster and cultivate our community’s workforce, which has contracted in recent years, primarily attributed to our aging population,” said Keith Stamm, Director of Workforce of GRCA. “For this reason, we have been working with RoleCall, local businesses and partners over the past year to identify specific ways to support our employers’ talent attraction efforts while also developing strategic solutions to attract new talent to the area.”

The Greater Reading area continues to attract new residents with its low cost of living, outdoor amenities, and great schools. Greater Reading also benefits from being a convenient location as it is a short distance from Philadelphia and Lancaster with easy access to major airports.

These main selling points and others will be highlighted through a paid, digital marketing campaign targeting candidates interested in moving to the Greater Reading region, which will ultimately result in a Talent Roster that GRCA’s talent team will distribute to local employers. Prospective candidates will receive curated information relevant to their industry and interests on a regular basis. A special emphasis will be placed on nine key industries, some of which include education, healthcare, engineering, manufacturing, and skilled trades.

The program work was funded largely by the County of Berks as well as GRCA’s economic development investors. The Berks County Commissioners recognize the need to address the workforce issue, and their support for the program will help close the talent gap local employers continue to struggle with.

“Thanks to the wonderful support of Commissioners Leinbach, Rivera, and Sihelnik, as well as our Investor initiative donors, GRCA is thrilled to launch this unique and innovative approach for attracting the best and brightest employees to the County,” said Jim Gerlach, President and CEO of GRCA. “Talent attraction is the name of the game for all successful businesses, and this exciting program will establish new pathways for prospective employees to learn about both the County’s great attributes along with specific job opportunities within their fields of employment.”

Greater Reading companies that would like to tap into the Talent Roster can contact Keith Stamm, Director of Workforce Development of GRCA, at [email protected] to learn more.

GRCA invites the Greater Reading business community to come learn how to level up its talent attraction efforts from 3-4:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 5, at its Center for Business Excellence in Wyomissing. Representatives from Herbein + Company will present how to attract qualified talent. Attendees also will learn more about the Meet Greater Reading talent attraction program. Register at GreaterReading.org.