Chester County representatives are seeking additional from Lockheed Martin and preparing plans to protect the local economy following the announcement that the company plans to close its Sikorsky helicopter facility near Coatesville.
Following the announcement, Chester County Commissioners tasked County executives with bringing together all relevant parties to focus on immediate needs including finding jobs for Sikorsky employees, determining plans for the 22-acre Sikorsky site and protecting the local economy.
The task force table includes staff from the Chester County Commissioners’ Office, Chester County’s Department of Community Development, Workforce Development Board and Planning Commission, the Chester County Economic Development Council and Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry.
Chester County workforce and economic development experts are preparing rapid response plans to put into action once Sikorsky representatives provide answers to crucial questions.
The County task force reached out to Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06), Sens. Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Bob Casey (D-PA) and staff at the State Department of Community and Economic Development and the Governor’s Action Team.
“Working together is keeping us all focused on the task to help Sikorsky employees and their families, and to cover every other base that this closure at the end of the year will impact,” Chester County Commissioners’ Chair Michelle Kichline said.
Rep. Houlahan secured a commitment for a meeting with a senior leadership team member from Sikorsky, currently scheduled for July 1st.
“We are thankful to Representative Houlahan for being so helpful in securing a commitment from Sikorsky to meet,” Commissioner Kathi Cozzone said. “The first step in solving any problem is having a complete understanding of the issue, and this meeting will help us to drive forward. We are also incredibly thankful for the outreach from a number of businesses in the local area who have offered support as we look to help those impacted transition towards new jobs in Chester County”.
Chester County Commissioners will be attending a meeting Thursday facilitated by the County’s Department of Community Development to organize the County’s workforce response plan.
“Our county economy remains strong and diversified, with a low unemployment rate of 2.6 percent – the lowest in the state, and the lowest in recent history,” Commissioner Michelle Kichline said. “We have many workforce resources in place, and the industry partners in our Manufacturing Alliance are in need of employees with skills such as those developed while employed at Sikorsky. We really want Sikorsky employees to stay in their homes and neighborhoods, and won’t stop working on their behalf until every affected Sikorsky employee has a job in Chester County.”