During Week of the Young Child, our Burchfield Pre-K classroom was filled with creativity, collaboration, and joyful learning experiences! We kicked off the week with Music Monday, where students designed their own musical instruments using paper plates and dried...
Families enrolled in Head Start and Early Head Start of Fayette County were invited to “The Garden Party” held at the Lemont Furnace Head Start Center on April 15, 2026. The theme of the event was to focus on skills from the program’s School Readiness Goals. We also...
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month and our afterschool students at Nicely Elementary learned about good oral hygiene and developing good dental habits to promote healthy teeth and gums.
The Private Industry Council (PIC) was pleased to serve as a valued partner to the Western PA Operating Engineers, beginning with preparation coursework on January 10th & 17th, 2026 and concluding with testing held from January 21st - 27th. Operating engineers are...
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Head Start / Early Head Start FAQs The Private Industry Council discusses frequently asked questions for Head Start and Early Head Start students. Private Industry Council operates the Head Start / Early Head Start program for Beaver and Fayette Counties in the...
In April 2025, the Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette, Inc. was awarded the Veteran Employment Program Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. The grant, which runs from April 1, 2025, to November 30, 2026, has already seen substantial progress in its first six months. Veteran Services Coordinator Kim Katona has successfully met the recruitment goals.
To date, 20 Veterans and Veteran spouses have enrolled in the program, with the aim of securing full-time employment through PIC’s services. During their participation, these individuals have collectively attended 82 peer mentoring sessions, where they are paired with PIC staff members, all of whom are also Veterans. These sessions provide a space to discuss and address any barriers preventing or sustaining employment.
In addition to the Peer to Peer Mentoring sessions, the participants are required to attend group sessions with Regis Lazor, Behavioral Consultant. To date there have been 6 sessions attended.
Of the 20 participants, 14 have already secured employment. They will be monitored for six months to track their job retention, with the opportunity to earn one of three stipends for successfully maintaining employment during this period.
Participant feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing gratitude for the supportive services offered through the grant. These resources have helped Veterans and their spouses catch up on essential expenses such as car payments, rent, and utilities, while also providing assistance with tools and uniforms needed to start new employment opportunities.
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