{"id":322549,"date":"2026-11-06T18:16:06","date_gmt":"2026-11-06T18:16:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/322549\/"},"modified":"2026-11-06T18:16:06","modified_gmt":"2026-11-06T18:16:06","slug":"lackawanna-college-and-lccc-partner-to-expand-hospitality-and-tourism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/322549\/","title":{"rendered":"Lackawanna College and LCCC partner to expand hospitality and tourism"},"content":{"rendered":"

SCRANTON \u2014 Educational leaders at two local colleges\u00a0are anticipating the needs of the next generation of hospitality professionals in the region.<\/p>\n

The new Be NEPA\u2019s Guest: A Hospitality & Tourism Workforce Initiative, announced Thursday by Lackawanna College and Luzerne County Community College, connects higher education, K-12 education and industry partners in forging career pathways locally.<\/p>\n

As workforce development training becomes a greater part of high school education, Erin Keating, Ed.D., superintendent of the Scranton School District, emphasized the importance of giving every student the chance to get a head start on their career.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor so long, dual enrollment opportunities seemed like they were only for your A students, and that you had to be in the top 25% of your class to have that opportunity,\u201d she said at an event at the Marketplace at Steamtown. \u201cWhat this (initiative) is showing is that there\u2019s real credentialing, and associate and bachelor\u2019s degree opportunities, for all kids and we want to expose them to all of those pathways. For our kids, the security and safety of having these educational opportunities in their hometown is essential for helping them be successful in the future. We want them to graduate with more than a diploma. We want them to have a direction, a purpose, and the practical skills they need to gain full employment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"President<\/p>\n

President of Luzerne County Community College John Yudichak speaks during the announcement of \u2018Be NEPA\u2019s Guest: A Workforce Initiative\u2019 in the Scranton Public Market on the upper floor of The Marketplace at Steamtown in Scranton Thursday, November 5, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

\"President<\/p>\n

President of Luzerne County Community College John Yudichak speaks during the announcement of \u2018Be NEPA\u2019s Guest: A Workforce Initiative\u2019 in the Scranton Public Market on the upper floor of The Marketplace at Steamtown in Scranton Thursday, November 5, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

\"Superintendent<\/p>\n

Superintendent of the Scranton School District Erin Keating speaks during the announcement of \u2018Be NEPA\u2019s Guest: A Workforce Initiative\u2019 in the Scranton Public Market on the upper floor of The Marketplace at Steamtown in Scranton Thursday, November 5, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

\"Brian<\/p>\n

Brian Miller, assistant general manager at Mount Airy Casino Resort looks towards the audience during the press conference announcing the \u2018Be NEPA\u2019s Guest : A Hospitality Workforce Initiative\u2019 at the Scranton Public Market at The Marketplace at Steamtown in Scranton Thursday, November 5, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The press conference announcing the \u2018Be NEPA\u2019s Guest : A Hospitality Workforce Initiative\u2019 takes place at the Scranton Public Market at The Marketplace at Steamtown in Scranton Thursday, November 5, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

\"From<\/p>\n

From left, John Yudichak, president of Luzerne County Community College, Brian Miller, assistant general manager at Mount Airy Casino Resort, Kelly Musti, associate vice president of academic affairs , strategy and effectiveness at Lackawanna College, Erin Keating, superintendent at the Scranton School District, and Holly Pilcavage, vice president of enrollment management and student success at Luzerne County Community College, hold up a check donated by Mount Airy Foundation during the press conference announcing the \u2018Be NEPA\u2019s Guest : A Hospitality Workforce Initiative\u2019 at the Scranton Public Market at The Marketplace at Steamtown in Scranton Thursday, November 5, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 6<\/p>\n

President of Luzerne County Community College John Yudichak speaks during the announcement of \u2018Be NEPA\u2019s Guest: A Workforce Initiative\u2019 in the Scranton Public Market on the upper floor of The Marketplace at Steamtown in Scranton Thursday, November 5, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

Through Luzerne County Community College\u2019s L3C Microcredential Academy inside the marketplace, students earn post-secondary certificates in culinary arts and hospitality management that can lead directly to associate and bachelor\u2019s degrees at Lackawanna College.<\/p>\n

Kristen McNally, director of the School of Hospitality and Tourism at Lackawanna College, called the collaboration \u201chuge\u201d for the area.<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of competing, we\u2019re joining forces,\u201d McNally said.<\/p>\n

Shanie Mohamed, executive director of JobsFirst NEPA, stated it takes a collective approach to cultivate a thriving employment picture.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the things we recognize is that the future of our regional workforce cannot be built by any one institution alone,\u201d she said. \u201cIt takes collaboration, it takes communication, and most importantly it takes a shared commitment to creating opportunities for people and businesses.\u00a0When we align education, industry, and opportunity, we\u2019re not just building a stronger workforce, we\u2019re building a stronger northeastern Pennsylvania.\u201d<\/p>\n

The hospitality and tourism industry generates about $8.9 billion annually in economic activity and supports more than 50,000 jobs in the region. Still, it\u2019s an ongoing battle for businesses to find qualified employees as more than 65% of hotels and 45% of restaurants nationally report being understaffed, said John Yudichak, president of Luzerne County Community College.<\/p>\n

Additionally, JobsFirst NEPA reports there are more than 12,000 people under the age of 24 in the region who have not entered college or the workforce.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe misalignment between job openings and the unemployed in our community is significant,\u201d Yudichak said. \u201cWe need to address this to help those who are trying to find their way. High school students can earn college credits without leaving the city and adults looking for their first job, or to pivot to a higher paid job, can pursue a culinary certificate or a hospitality certificate, or an associate degree and a bachelor\u2019s degree.<\/p>\n

\u201cCollaborative, regional partnerships among institutions are essential to breaking down the barriers to earning a post-secondary credential by making higher education more affordable, more accessible, and more adaptable to students\u2019 needs. At LCCC, we have a new motto: Go here, graduate here, work here.\u201d<\/p>\n

As part of the new workforce initiative, the Mount Airy Foundation donated $25,000 to support students pursuing hospitality-related education and careers.<\/p>\n

\u201cHospitality is the beating heart of northeastern Pennsylvania,\u201d said Brian Miller, assistant general manager of Mount Airy Casino Resort in Paradise Twp. \u201cIt\u2019s an industry built on warmth, service, and creating an unforgettable experience for those who visit our region. But more than that, it\u2019s an industry built on people. Success always comes down to one thing: a talented, dedicated, and well-trained team. By connecting high school training with college education and real career opportunities, we are building a seamless pathway for students. We want our young people to know that they don\u2019t have to leave home to build a successful, rewarding, and lifelong career. The future of hospitality is right here in Northeast PA.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SCRANTON \u2014 Educational leaders at two local colleges\u00a0are anticipating the needs of the next generation of hospitality professionals…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":322550,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[60,227,201,182,2941,139,28,178,180,179,802],"class_list":["post-322549","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-scranton","tag-business","tag-education","tag-lackawanna-county","tag-local-news","tag-monroe-county","tag-news","tag-pennsylvania","tag-scranton","tag-scranton-headlines","tag-scranton-news","tag-top-stories-cvc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322549","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=322549"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322549\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/322550"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=322549"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=322549"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=322549"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}