Clients of Penn State's PENNTAP report $38 million in benefits, 580 jobs

University Park, Pa. -- Pennsylvania businesses aided by Penn State's Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PENNTAP) reported 580 jobs created or retained and $38 million in economic benefits as a result of help in 2004.

According to a year-end report, PENNTAP provided an overall total of 810 cases of technical assistance to 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.

According to Jack Gido, director of Penn State's Office Economic and Workforce Development, which includes PENNTAP, "One hundred fifty of the jobs and $9 million in economic benefits were reported by companies in counties designated as distressed."

In response to a significant increase in requests for Internet-, Web- and information technology-related assistance, PENNTAP obtained support from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development through the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority and the U.S. Economic Development Administration to establish an e-Business Technical Assistance Program (e-TAP) in partnership with the Pennsylvania Business Retention and Expansion Program. The e-TAP program successfully completed its three-year effort in 2004, during which PENNTAP's information technology specialists provided 1,270 cases of technical assistance, including 625 for clients in distressed counties. Clients reported 825 jobs created or retained and $42 million in economic impact.

PENNTAP has a statewide network of technical specialists. This unit helps Pennsylvania businesses improve their competitiveness by providing a limited amount of technology assistance and information to help resolve specific technical questions or needs. The unit also connects businesses with University expertise and resources and with other economic development services providers.

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 online.