CENTER TWP. — David Volkman of the Pennsylvania Department of Education described the Beaver County Career and Technology Center as a “phenomenal program” during his visit at the school Thursday morning.
Programs like the BCCTC are ones that Pennsylvania leaders are beginning to focus on more.
“We're on the right road when it comes to our entire focus on career readiness in Pennsylvania now. It's not so much about degrees,” said Volkman, executive deputy secretary at the Pennsylvania Department of Education. “It's really about certifications, it's about training, it's about helping people become who they were born to be, right? And so I think if we can tie a person's career trajectory into the work that they're doing here, they're going to be much more successful.”
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has proposed $50 million for job training funding in the state’s 2018-19 budget. That includes the launch of PAsmart, a realignment of workforce development initiatives from K-12 education through career programs.
That would highlight programs like health sciences, electrical occupations, HVAC, carpentry and welding, five programs offered at the Beaver County Career and Technology Center that were seen by state and local leaders during the visit.
Volkman added there are currently 300,000 jobs in Pennsylvania that require STEM skill sets, short for science, technology, engineering and math. While four-year colleges can be beneficial for some, hands-on training might be better for others. Pennsylvania’s college graduation rate is only at about 65 percent.
At the same time, there are fewer students in schools than in the past due to population decline, making in-demand work even more important.
"If we don't have those young people with the skill sets to work in the businesses and the local industry, what's going to happen?” Volkman said. “The industry's going to close. They're going to go somewhere else where the skilled workforce is. So that's why it's critically important.”
State Rep. Rob Matzie, D-16, Ambridge, said it was important for Volkman to see the strength of hands-on training that’s happening in Beaver County.
“It was important for him to see what we're doing well and where we can improve, but at the same time, look at them to say, hey, if an opportunity presents itself, we're doing things, putting people in positions to get jobs and start right away,” Matzie said. “We should score high on the list if it comes down to some dollars and cents being distributed out to career and technology schools.”
State Rep. Jim Marshall, R-14, Big Beaver; and Jack Manning, president, executive director of the Beaver County Chamber of Commerce; Mary Jo Kehoe, president of the BCCTC Joint Operating Committee and an Ambridge Area School District board member; Laura DelVecchio, BCCTC assistant administrative director; and David Wytiaz, BCCTC administrative director, also attended the tour with Volkman.
Wytiaz was excited to show what the school has to offer for Beaver County students to a state audience.
“From an educational standpoint, it's an honor that he took the time to come to Beaver County, and specifically our school here at the CTC,” Wytiaz said. “Career and technology education is really the hot item, not only in Pennsylvania, but across the country right now.”
The Beaver County Career and Technology Center has 17 programs and approximately 580 students from the county’s 14 school districts.