“Kutztown University students are consistently using BerksWorks to research local area employers for internships. Many students also take classes while interning, so a quality experience within driving distance to campus is what they need … and BerksWorks delivers! It has become of great benefit to area students and employers.”

Kerri G. Gardi – Director, Career Development Center, Kutztown University

“The Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce and Industry was pleased to work with the BBEC in initiating the BerksWorks website to better connect employers with emerging talent, and our educators with businesses willing to share their time and expertise to make the classroom more relevant. The site has the potential to connect employers with the 24,000 college students that attend our five colleges to strengthen the pipeline of young professionals that will enter the local workforce. We look forward to further assisting with the development of the K-12 component that will provide career awareness and business resources in the classroom. The BerksWorks website provides a great tool for our schools and for employers.”

Ellen T. Horan
President & CEO, Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry

“The school counselors of Boyertown Area School District, both elementary and secondary, have been trained in the aspects of BerksWorks, the information it contains, and how to navigate the site. BerksWorks provides a wonderful resource for all levels as we work to implement the career education and work standards. Career awareness is raised at the elementary level, and BerksWorks provides a great connection to speakers from various career fields who will provide presentations to students. At the secondary level, the site connects our schools with speakers and opens the doors for job shadowing opportunities for our high school students as they complete their career portfolio activities and plan for post-secondary life.”

Marilee Cassidy
School Counseling Coordinator, Boyertown Area School District

“It is clear Berks County is working hard to keep its workforce local with a new countywide internship and job shadowing initiative. BerksWorks is an invaluable advising tool! When working with students, I find using a shared countywide internship and job shadowing site to be extremely helpful. Now students in Berks County colleges and high schools can find corporate contacts and internships in one web location.”

Tish Jepsen, M.Ed. – Coordinator of Career Services, Penn State Berks

“I have found that BerksWorks is being utilized by Alvernia University students in a surprisingly short time after being introduced. Perhaps a third of our students are from the immediate region, and they very much want internships in the counties surrounding Berks. Even those that are from across the nation or international often still want to find internships that are close to campus.

In a very busy career services center, I find that BerksWorks does serve a niche in that it is great to have so many local internships in one spot, shared by the five institutions of higher learning in the county. The organization also fosters a feeling of shared resources and communication among the colleges which can only benefit all of our students and graduates – not to mention the surrounding community.”

Jen Gittings-Dalton – Coordinator of Career Services, Alvernia University