On March 30, industry and academic leaders convened at Cedar Crest College’s Tompkins Center for the College’s inaugural Tech & Talent Summit. Presented by ADVANCE at Cedar Crest and the Harmon Center for Leadership in Technology, the Lehigh Valley Tech & Talent: Building Tomorrow’s Workforce Summit explored workforce technology needs and skills gaps in the Lehigh Valley and beyond.
Lauren Holubec, Ed.D., Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association, delivered the keynote address, The Future of Workforce Development in Pennsylvania. She highlighted the growing demand for talent across key industries, persistent skills gaps, and the need for stronger partnerships between education and industry as artificial intelligence continues to reshape the workforce. Emphasizing the broader challenge, Holubec noted, “This is not a pipeline problem. It is a systems problem. And systems problems require systems solutions.”
Dr. Beverly Magda, Founding Director of Cedar Crest College’s Harmon Center for Leadership in Technology, moderated a panel on tech talent in industry, with discussion centered on hiring challenges, workforce development strategies, and regional opportunities.
The summit concluded with a presentation by Karianne Gelinas, Vice President of Talent Strategies at LVEDC, who emphasized the Lehigh Valley’s economic strength, robust talent pipeline, and emerging workforce trends. She noted the increasing importance of digital skills, critical thinking, and careers in high-growth fields such as STEM, healthcare, and manufacturing.
A central theme throughout the summit was the continued gap in foundational “power skills”-including communication, collaboration, and interpersonal effectiveness-despite growing awareness of the need for technical proficiency. As a liberal arts institution, Cedar Crest College plays a critical role in addressing these gaps by emphasizing critical thinking and the development of essential professional skills.
As a college committed to innovation, Cedar Crest is also responding to rapid technological change, transformations in healthcare, and evolving workforce demands. Through initiatives such as ADVANCE at Cedar Crest and the Harmon Center for Leadership in Technology, the College is equipping students and professional learners with the skills and adaptability needed to succeed in a dynamic labor market.
Reflecting on the summit, Melanie Kohler, Chief Transformation & Technology Officer at Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, said, “What resonated most was the urgency to move beyond hiring strategies and focus on skill strategies. As technology continues to reshape the workplace, investing in upskilling, AI literacy, and critical thinking is no longer optional; it’s a core leadership responsibility. As an IT professional and Cedar Crest alum, it was especially meaningful to see the College creating space for these conversations and elevating the role of women in technology at a time when it matters more than ever.”
This perspective underscores Cedar Crest College’s leadership in addressing workforce challenges through innovative programming and strategic partnerships.
“As the first Allentown college to educate women, Cedar Crest is rooted in a tradition of aligning education with opportunity,” said Dr. Robert Wilson, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Through Advance at Cedar Crest and the Harmon Center for Leadership in Technology, we provide industry-aligned workforce credentials and innovative instruction that address immediate skills gaps while preparing learners for the workplace of the future. The Tech & Talent Summit represents an important step in bringing together industry expertise to identify real-time workforce challenges and develop practical solutions for integrating emerging technologies across sectors.”
ADVANCE at Cedar Crest is now enrolling. For more information, visit www.cedarcrest.edu/advance. To learn more about the Harmon Center for Leadership in Technology, visit www.cedarcrest.edu/hclt.
About Cedar Crest College
Cedar Crest College has been empowering women to smash glass ceilings and achieve their educational goals since 1867. Today, the College continues to open the doors to opportunities for its diverse student body, both in the undergraduate women’s college and in the co-ed School of Adult and Graduate Education. Located in Allentown, Pa., Cedar Crest is ranked by U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-2026 Best College Rankings as #16 in Social Mobility and is among the top 100 colleges and universities in the region.
By Catherine Stroh