University Park, Pa. -- Pennsylvania businesses aided by Penn State's Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PENNTAP) reported 900 jobs created or retained and $25 million in economic benefits as a result of the help in 2003.
According to a year-end report, PENNTAP provided an overall total of 775 cases of technical assistance to 685 Pennsylvania businesses in all 67 counties. Economic benefits included cost savings, sales increases and investments as a result of PENNTAP assistance. The businesses reported a 99 percent satisfaction rate with the assistance provided.
Jack Gido, PENNTAP director, says, "Three hundred eighty of the jobs and $13 million in economic benefits were reported by companies in counties designated as economically distressed."
PENNTAP is a statewide network of technical specialists. The unit helps Pennsylvania businesses improve their competitiveness by providing a limited amount of technical assistance and information to help resolve specific technical questions or needs.
The program focuses on helping smaller businesses that normally do not have the in-house knowledge or resources to resolve specific technical questions or needs. Last year, nearly 80 percent of PENNTAP's clients were businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
Serving Pennsylvania business and industry since 1965, PENNTAP is a federal-state-university partnership for economic development and one of the nation's first technical assistance programs.
For more information about PENNTAP, visit http://www.penntap.psu.edu