I spent a day in Hershey recently. Not for the chocolate, unfortunately, but for something equally important. A Workforce Summit hosted by the Pennsylvania Chamber Foundation.

Every day I am in contact with business owners who tell me the same thing, "We can't find skilled employees to fill the jobs in our companies."Study upon study and numerous surveys have been conducted and they all show commonwealth employers reporting difficulty filling open positions ranging from administrative to technical/skilled trades.A Susquehanna Polling and Research Inc. survey shows that 72 percent of companies had difficulty hiring employees with adequate skills, training and education. The report also shows that successful companies support partnerships, programs and workforce development initiatives such as tuition assistance or job-related training (56 percent) paid internships (45 percent) and mentorship programs (42 percent).Overall, 64 percent were likely to support formal training programs that develop specific skills.The study showed that employer's biggest frustrations come from job seekers' poor work ethic, lack of motivation, lack of interpersonal skills, lack of interview etiquette, lack of cellphone etiquette (meaning don't take personal calls on your cellphone when you're supposed to be working) and the inability to communicate confidently and maturely.This problem equates to lost production and lost revenue. Last year, the total amount for all Pennsylvania employers that were interviewed for the survey is a whopping $188.9 million.Employers are looking for employees who have logical thinking and problem-solving capabilities, good verbal communication skills, reading comprehension and basic math and writing skills. Lower on the list are academic degrees and certifications.Companies that are the most successful provide internships and apprenticeships, have formal internal training programs and partner with high schools and tech schools to work with students. They also offer mentoring programs within the company.Successful companies also promote from within, implement clear objectives, have clearly defined career pathways and utilize Wednet (Workforce and Economic Development Network of PA) to provide training for their employees. LCCC provides Wednet training in Carbon County.The report concludes that in the next 10 years, companies will be looking for the following skills which were rated as the top 3:1. Collaboration/teamwork2. Verbal and written skills3. Project managementThe Chamber's Business/Education Partnership is working with our local businesses and schools to find a solution to the challenges we face. This week we facilitated a "Teacher in the Workplace" with several of our local school districts. The teachers visit businesses and immerse themselves in what the company does and what their needs are. The teachers will then come back to the CCEDC office, discuss what they learned and write a lesson plan to take to their students.It is the first step for us to create a successful and lasting relationship between our businesses and schools so they can provide the necessary education and training to make our students successful whether they are going directly into the workforce or on to a postsecondary education.Kathy Henderson is director of economic development for the Carbon Chamber and Economic Development.