Skills of Central PA
Happiness rating is 54 out of 100
3.0 out of 5 stars.
Write a review

Skills of Central PA Employee Reviews in State College, PA

Review this company
Job Title
All
Location
State College, PA31 reviews

Ratings by category

2.8Work-Life Balance
2.9Pay & Benefits
2.8Job Security & Advancement
2.7Management
3.0Culture

Sort by

HelpfulnessRatingDate
Found 31 reviews matching the searchSee all 225 reviews
amazeskillindividualrewardclientleaderavailbenefit

Fun place to work

Indeed Featured review

The most useful review selected by Indeed
Enjoyed working with clients. Always learning something different. You teach and help clients be independent and help them earn money. It was always wonderful seeing smiling faces

Pros

Clients

Cons

Management
Was this review helpful?

Handled the pandemic very poorly

Skills was a decent job prior to the pandemic. Pay was comparable (although low) compared to other agencies. PTO was decent. Health insurance was excellent. Consumers were incredible and a joy to work with. However, the way that management treated employees during the pandemic was unacceptable. Hazard pay was sporadic and inadequate. Managers and admin were allowed to work from home safely while forcing lower level employees to be put at risk daily with scarce PPE despite the ability to work from home in many cases. During MANDATED telework, employees were forced to meet in person and were pushed to do very risky things that were never discussed in writing, probably because of the risk they posed to workers AND vulnerable community members. Management was not sensitive to concerns and was incredibly insensitive at times considering the amount of death, stress, and illness employees faced during the pandemic. As a non-profit that exists to serve the community, their response to covid was shameful and dangerous. I would highly recommend against working for them if it is important to you to be part of an agency that reflects its own stated values.

Pros

Pto, health insurance, consumers

Cons

Disrespectful, dangerous behavior during the pandemic, asking employees to engage in dangerous activities "off the record, " placing profit over stated values, potential worsening of the pandemic
Was this review helpful?

Skills of Central PA insights

Based on 137 survey responses
What people like
  • Clear sense of purpose
Areas for improvement
  • Trust in colleagues
  • Sense of belonging
  • Support from manager

Listen

Problem not dealt with because management fails to admit there is a problem. Staff are over worked and under paid. We barely have anyone left. Open your eyes people.

Pros

Helping others

Cons

Management
Was this review helpful?

Excellent management benefits everything

Management is always there for you. If you need help or a day off you don't get criticized. Love my individuals, coworkers and bosses. Just happy and content with this job.

Pros

Everything

Cons

None
Was this review helpful?

Not family friendly

You are just a number to this company, they do not care about the employees that go above and beyond for them. If you do your job and do it accurately, the management finds a reason to get rid of you. If you have kids or a life do not apply.
Was this review helpful?

Rate your recent company

Share your experience to help others

Total Chaos

Poor upper management; as a manager, you’re expected to work whenever, wherever, and however long you’re needed. Often times I’d work 60-80 hours a week with no additional compensation. More people are being fired or quitting, than they can even hire. DSP’s are worked 150+ hours a pay period, which is unethical and disturbing. Changes need to be made in order to serve and support the individuals
Was this review helpful?

This is an awful place to work. While the services to the people supported are excellent, the treatment of staff at the lower levels is horrible.

Skills is run by a very control-focused administration. Staff are constantly being taken advantage of, treated unfairly and are expected to work unreasonable hours, doing difficult work with intellectually disabled adults with poor and/or non/existent help from supervisors.
Was this review helpful?

Only good thing is the people I supported

I have no words for the lack of support I've gotten from management. If you arent being supported or feel like you arent and voice that to anyone else they get upset because your making them look bad! They want you to work nights but then as team leader are expected to do meetings and office runs, grocery shopping, dr appointments. Your pushed to the end of your ropes, exausted, treated poorly for voicing concerns or issues. I'm currently re evaluating my continued employment here.
Was this review helpful?

Official response from Skills of Central PA

November 11, 2019
Thank you for expressing your concerns. We are saddened to hear that you feel your voice is not being heard. Being a Team Leader is a very demanding job, and we know you wear many hats in that role. If you have addressed your concerns with your manager and do not feel that they have been handled to your satisfaction, we do encourage you to speak with your Director, VP, or HR. We are aware that Skills employees are very dedicated and we are constantly striving to ensure that Skills is a place where people enjoy working.

Competitive with other human services agencies

Skills has worked hard in the past couple of years to increase wages, to make them comparable with other agencies in the area. I think they have done a good job with that. If you are an hourly worker, there is usually overtime to be picked up. The benefits are good, with PTO that includes 9 holidays, 7 sick days, 4 personal days, and 5 vacation days in the first year. I am currently earning 25 vacation days a year in addition to the other days. Health insurance, dental insurance, and vision insurance are partially covered by the agency for full-timers. Like most jobs, your experience is heavily influenced by your direct supervisor and your coworkers. I think this is why there is so much variation in the reviews here. Some supervisors are better than others, some programs are run better than others. The job is demanding emotionally. It can be hard. One of my most difficult experiences was holding the hand of someone when she was taken off of life support and passed on. You will be on the front lines. Another difficult part of the job is keeping up with, and following, state regulations. There is a lot of change happening now that is dictated at the state level. It is creating stress because it seems we are not getting hard answers and everything is in the process of changing. I believe every agency in PA is dealing with this.

Pros

free meals at some programs, Pto, flexibility with scheduling, health insurance

Cons

Lots of paperwork, staff are sometimes unable to take breaks, when programs are short-staffed there may be mandatory overtime
Was this review helpful?

I love my job

Skills is a great place to work. Most of the staff are friendly and more then willing to assist with a project or how to do something. Relaxed place to work, yes you have to get the job done, but are given the time to do the job! My manager is great, she lets me do my job but is there when I need assistance.
Was this review helpful?

Jobs at Skills of Central PA

in State College, PA
See more jobs

Skills

I have worked for Skills for 9 years and I have worked in almost every section both day programs and residential. I have learned a lot in the last 9 years both about myself and the field. What I do is rewarding and I am reminded daily why I do what I do. Management above me is always there to listen and let you vent and will always try to do the best they can to help you out. The atmosphere is welcoming and makes you feel at home even when it can be stressful.

Pros

Flexibility and support
Was this review helpful?

Great Organization

Skills of Central PA is a great Organization to work for as well as all of the supports they are responsible for. This has been such a great place to work!

Pros

Flexibility, Growth, Caring Co-Workers, Team Work, etc ...
Was this review helpful?

Great Place to Work! I LOVE my job!

Skills is a great place to work. Getting to know the individuals and knowing that I’m making a difference in their lives every day is very rewarding. I have some flexibility in my hours and overtime is available to me (sometimes a lot). The people I work with are great and we have a great team where we help each other out. Management is always willing to listen and help out. We are always invited to talk with any level of the company if we have concerns. Management has made pay adjustments over the past year and continue to look at wages to try to make additional adjustment. DSPs could make more but I know they are trying. The benefits are good. I’m glad I made the decision to join a great organization who cares about the employees and has a wonderful mission!

Pros

Everything!

Cons

None!
Was this review helpful?

Terrible

I used to work for skills. Worst mistake I have made. I was never “allowed” to call off. You get mandated to work. Everywhere is short staffed. Management got mad my doctor only allowed me to work 8 hours per day and cut my scheduled hours to 23 hours per week. If you try to quit there’s a lot of things said about you behind your back. It’s as if you’re in high school again. Ridiculous

Pros

None

Cons

Management
Was this review helpful?

Great place to work!!

Skills is an amazing company to work for. There are so many perks to the job and the advancement is great with a tuition discount!! The people we care for are amazing individuals and we learn from them as much as they learn from us!! The houses are well kept, management answers questions and accommodates if you have any issues!! Wages could still be increased but if your looking for a company that actually shows you that they appreciate you and tell you that on a regular basis then this is your company!!

Pros

So many to list them all!!
Was this review helpful?

Dont Care About Employees

Great job to give back to people with disabilities, Horrible company for the employees, the upper management are only concerned about themselves getting the weekend off and getting to spend time with their families.You bust your back for the company and get nothing in return.

Pros

The People you support

Cons

THe Company
Was this review helpful?

Care staff truly care management is HORRIBLE

I wouldn't suggest working here. Management doesn't seem to care at all for employees or doing what is right for the clients. Have their own personal interest in mind only. If you dont fit in they clique, they will make sure you are miserable. (Spoken directly from a long term employee). If you want an uptight, bully, stressful, pressuring work environment then this is the place for you. Try to have others lie to cover up their mistakes.

Cons

Awful management, bully
Was this review helpful?

This job is for single people who love to spend hours at work.

This job and field is meant for single people who have no outside life. You will work when they say and even on your days off are expected to go in for trainings and meetings that happen more often than not. The absolute worse position is a Team Leader, they will work you to death. You will run the house, do all the paperwork, manage staff, go to meetings, work direct care, work 16hr shifts and more and than be expected to stay and go to a meeting or training, be on call 24-7 for your house than be on a rotating on-call schedule on weekends for houses you aren't trained on. Don't assume your day off is to be enjoyed cause to them if they need you than you drop what your doing and answer to them. Team Leaders walk around exhausted all the time from being overworked but yet are expected to pass meds and take care of individuals when they haven't had sleep. Don't believe the hype with this line of work about feeling good cause your taking care of people and helping individuals. That is a very small percentage of what this field is really about and that happiness will end after working a 42hr weekend. The pay is definitely not worth all the stress and time spent away from home. Plus you also answer to state when u say or do something that they feel goes against the clients rights which can be basically anything depending how it's taken given the mood they are in.

Pros

Benefits

Cons

Management that don't care, overworked, never really a day off, schedule changes whenever they feel like doing it with short notice.
Was this review helpful?

Very organized and caring atmosphere and good backup and contingency plans

Bus usually arrives around eight-thirty and then a supervisor tells you what your task / tasks will be for the day. It's nice to be learning a wide variety of skills and sometimes I enjoy the rhythm of the functional autonomy of the job. Management covers a wide breadth, but they usually have good timing and don't miss much. Plus they care a lot about the workers. This is clear. The building is new and its design was well thought out. They keep the right tools in stock and available. And management works well with the businesses that provide our assembly products. Many current workers have been there for years, which says a lot for staying power. And I've seen nice cohesive bonds and friendships that have developed there between many workers.
Was this review helpful?

Very person centered approach

As committed to a positive experience for the people they support they are also committed to a work/life balance and excellent relationship with the employees. This company cares for the staff and backs it up by the way they treat them. The only downside to working there is their pay for similar jobs in the industry is not close to compatible. Other agencies who provide similar services are practically paying double.

Pros

The work atmosphere and management

Cons

The compensation
Was this review helpful?

Official response from Skills of Central PA

May 17, 2018
Thank you for taking the time to let us know how you feel about working for Skills. We appreciate the feedback and can assure you that compensation is being looked into. Recently, we offered a yearly bonus to our employees. We are also currently working on a project to assess wages.

Centre County

The individuals you work with are great. They are the reason to stay. I still speak to the individuals that I grew extremely close to while working at skills. However if you are a direct support professional or team leader nobody cares about your opinion. Even though you are around the individuals the most your opinion means nothing. That then makes these workers feel like not doing anything and unproductive. Call offs become frequent and it's the TL's job to sacrifice time with their families in order to fill in all sorts of extremely long shifts including in access of 24hours at a time since they are so short staffed. And compensation doesn't even nearly make up for it. Nepotism is at its finest display with the management staff in Centre County. They are the same management staff that will offer help then when needed back out and make you do it on your own as you help your fellow Team Leaders, DSP's and clients. They are the same managment staff that will demean you for your "wrong opinion" then tell you what to do instead and yell at you when it doesn't work out how they planned. Management is an absolute joke and play favorites and get away with treating their employees and lower management extremely poorly

Pros

The individuals you work for are awesome

Cons

Management and pay is awful
Was this review helpful?

Want to know more about working here?

Ask a question about working or interviewing at Skills of Central PA. Our community is ready to answer.Ask a Question

Overall rating

Based on 225 reviews

Ratings by category

2.8 out of 5 stars for Work/Life Balance
2.9 out of 5 stars for Compensation/Benefits
2.8 out of 5 stars for Job Security/Advancement
2.7 out of 5 stars for Management
3.0 out of 5 stars for Culture

Ratings from women

2.1
InHerSight Score
1.3Personal Development
2.8Career Opportunities
2.6Family Support
Women rate the female-friendliness of their workplaces on InHerSight
Powered byInHerSight

Questions about Skills of Central PA

Skills of Central PA Reviews by Job Title

Skills of Central PA Reviews by Location

See more Skills of Central PA reviews by location

Discussion topics at Skills of Central PA

Professional development

Mission and values

PTO and work-life balance

Work from home

Parents and caregivers

Internships and graduate programs

COVID-19 response

Accessibility, Disability and Accommodation

Learn about Skills of Central PA in State College, PA

See Skills of Central PA ratings, salaries, jobs in State College, PA
  • Companies
  • Skills of Central PA
  • Employee Reviews
  • State College, PA