Association Offers More Regional Locations,
Onsite Classes for MBA Members
Professional training is an investment with the potential for unlimited returns.
So, when employers are trying to find the best ways to make the most of their training dollars, convenience and cost can be critical.
Today, the Manufacturer & Business Association (MBA), in conjunction with its merger with SMC Business Councils (SMC), offers nearly 20 regional training locations across Pennsylvania for its members to utilize. From its state-of-
the-art Conference Center in Erie to partner training facilities in Cranberry Township, St. Marys, Mechanicsburg and beyond, the MBA offers one of the most dynamic training networks in the region.
“For many of our members, they can now travel 20 minutes or less to one of our regional training sites to access our regionally recognized supervisory and leadership courses,” says Patty Welther, manager of Member Engagementat the Manufacturer & Business Association. “Our expanded footprint and broader outreach give our members greater access to our programs and a greater convenience for them and their employees.”
The MBA’s partner training facilities have been a contributing factor for the Association’s success in its regional offerings. These organizations have been
some of the strongest advocates for regional training and understand the value that the MBA courses and training instructors can bring to employers — and their employees.
According to Jackie Herbstritt, operations and facilities manager of the Community Education Center (CEC) of Elk and Cameron Counties, the training partnership with the MBA that began back in 2003 has proven very successful. So far, the Communication Education Center has served 832 individuals through the
MBA’s Certified Supervisory Skills Program and 154 additional individuals through the HR Essential Certification Series. The Center also regularly receives inquiries from companies in the community about when these programs are scheduled to run.
“Being able to partner with MBA and host trainings here is extremely valuable because it really reduces travel time to Erie and, therefore, reduces costs to companies for mileage and lost-time at work,” notes Herbstritt. “We also believe that people are much more comfortable and are more conducive to learning when they are in or near their ‘hometown.’ The CEC has multiple training provider partners, and MBA is the one that has established a strong reputation in Supervisory Skills and HR Essentials in this region.”
Herbstritt notes that having the option to provide such trainings is critical. “Many training providers under-serve rural areas because the numbers and enrollments are perceived to be too few and far between,” she says. “I think that the MBA and CEC of Elk and Cameron have proved that is not the case over the last 17 years.”
Harry C. Elinsky Jr., president and chief executive officer of Filtech, Inc. in Homestead, Pennsylvania, has seen firsthand the value that the MBA’s regional training offerings can provide member employers. For the past two years, Filtech has been using SMC’s location in Cranberry Township for its leadership and training needs, including the MBA’s Leadership for Team Leaders and Certified Supervisory Skills Series.
Read more in October’s 2019 Annual Report.
