PAPEN

What is PAPEN?

PAPEN (Pennsylvania Professional Employment Network) is a Piisburgh-based networking organization that helps participants advance their careers. Our Mission is to:

Foster networks of personal contacts and relationships.
Provide an environment where participants can develop their networking skills.
Share career-related experiences, strategies and knowledge.
Uncover career opportunities that may be of interest to other participants.

We are an IRS-certified 501c3 non-profit organization that only exists to benefit our participants and the community. All of our funding comes entirely from donations, we do not receive any grants or other financial support from any government agency or any foundation. Our meeting sites are provided at no cost to us by local churches. Everyone at PAPEN is a volunteer, we have no paid staff.

We started in 1992 as a networking group for unemployed white collar workers, but today our focus is on career advancement for everyone - whether unemployed, underemployed, or employed and moving ahead. Today, most new participants come into PAPEN when they are unemployed, or when that possibility is on their horizon. When they find a new or better job, many of them stay involved for the benefit it brings to their careers and to assist others who are also encountering challengs in their careers situations.

Most of our participants work in professional, managerial, or technical fields, but no one is turned away. Most of our participants have ten or more years of experience, but some are students or recent graduates. All of our participants believe in the power of networking and peer support to assist each of us in reaching our full professional potential.

Remember that none of our PAPEN volunteers are trained, licensed mental health professionals. If you feel depressed or are having trouble coping with your situation, please contact a a quakufued mental health professional for assistance.

How to Join

If you are (or want to be) a professional person living in southwestern Pennsylvania (USA), you can benefit greatly by joining PAPEN. A donation of only $10 is recommended, and you can sign up at any meeting. If you don't presently live in the area, you can join by mail. The benefits start immediately, and by attending meetings regularly, you will make dozens of valuable contacts. One of them might lead to your next move forward.

To join, just fill out our Attendee Contact Informatiom Form. You can download the form from this web site as a PDF document.

PAPEN is an IRS 501c3 certified non-rofit therefore your donation to PAPEN may be tax deductible.