Pennsylvania Convention Center Opens New On-Site Training Center for Staff and Labor Partners

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Venues & Destinations
Pennsylvania Convention Center Opens New On-Site Training Center for Staff and Labor Partners

6/13/2024
PHILADELPHIA, PA – As part of its ongoing commitment to delivering the best possible experience to its customers, the Pennsylvania Convention Center has opened a new on-site training center to provide the facility’s staff and labor partners with programs focused on safety, development of technical skills, and customer service and hospitality. The center includes a conference room for hosting instructor-led training programs as well as two computer labs for online training programs.

The 1,000 square-foot training facility underscores the continued commitment of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, facility manager ASM Global, and trade show labor partners to providing the highest level of service to customers and exhibitors. It is an outgrowth of the Center’s Hospitality Industry Advancement Trust (HIAT) Fund, a partnership between the management of the Pennsylvania Convention Center and the labor organizations responsible for providing show floor labor to the facility’s customers.

The HIAT Fund is focused on enhanced training opportunities to labor personnel in three general areas: safety, development of technical skills, and customer service/hospitality. Put more simply, the training focuses on “Safety, Skills, and Smiles:”

Safety programs provide participants with opportunities to obtain general and specialized Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety certifications.
Skills training is coordinated with contractors in the convention and meeting industry, such as Installation & Dismantle (I&D) and Decorator companies to provide the workforce with the latest technical training so that the workforce can offer the most efficient and economical builds possible.
Hospitality programs focus on providing labor partners with the skills needed to provide customers and guests with experiences that consistently exceed expectations by educating them on the importance of prioritizing customers, positive attitude and engagement, and a commitment to success.

“The Center’s management team and our labor partners understand that delivering the best possible experience to our trade show, event, convention and meeting customers makes us more competitive,” said John J. McNichol, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority. “The HIAT Fund and this training initiative represent a long-term commitment to ensuring the labor personnel who work in our facility not only have the latest safety and skills training, but also a high-level of hospitality-focused training. This is in keeping with the overall culture of our facility and staff and represents an ongoing commitment to improving ourselves and the services we offer to our customers.”

The HIAT Fund -- which is funded jointly by show floor labor partners and the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority -- is believed to be the only joint training initiative of its kind in the country. Trade show labor unions provide a contribution to the fund for every hour worked by a union member. That amount is then matched by the Pennsylvania Convention Center’s management. The four trade show labor partners include Laborers’ International Local 332, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 8 (IATSE), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98, and Iron Workers Local 405.

In addition to providing a dedicated location for “Safety, Skills, and Smiles” training for labor personnel, the facility will also host in-house training programs for staff of ASM Global, which oversees the day-to-day operations and management of the Convention Center. These programs, which are focused on educating ASM Global team members about industry best-practices, include ASM Global Academy and Experience training.

ASM Global Academy, a proprietary learning and development platform, includes more than 1,800 multi-language content courses that provide team members an opportunity to complete self-paced learning programs. Training courses include guest services, diversity, equity and inclusion, food safety, inclusive culture, sustainability, operations, safety and security, and leadership. The program utilizes gamification, badges, leaderboards, quizzes and evaluations to create an engaging and comprehensive e-learning experience. This includes an industry-leading 34 safety course created specifically for venue management and a customized online guest services program that creates a global, uniformed approach to the guest experience.

About the Pennsylvania Convention Center
The Pennsylvania Convention Center is located in Center City Philadelphia at the heart of the city's many cultural offerings and world-class dining and entertainment scene. Managed by ASM Global, the Center is the 14th largest facility in the nation and features one of the largest exhibit spaces and ballrooms in the Northeastern U.S. The meetings, conventions, trade shows, and other events hosted by the Center attract attendees from across the country and around the world to Philadelphia, making the facility the largest economic driver of the region’s hospitality industry. For more information, visit www.paconvention.com.

About ASM Global
ASM Global is the world’s leading producer of entertainment experiences. It is the global leader in venue and event strategy and management—delivering locally tailored solutions and cutting-edge technologies to achieve maximum results for venue owners. The company’s elite venue network spans five continents, with a portfolio of more than 350 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention and exhibition centers, and performing arts venues. For more information, please visit www.asmglobal.com.

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