Schnecksville, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Education Executive Deputy Secretary Dr. Debora Carrera today visited Lehigh Career and Technical Institute (LCTI) to showcase the importance of career and technical education (CTE) celebrate LCTI’s 50th anniversary.
“Career and technical centers provide students with diverse options for completing secondary education, and an abundance of pathways to pursue after graduation. The experience and knowledge students gain while attending a career and technical institute is invaluable, and propels them toward a successful future,” said Dr. Carrera. “Programs like those at Lehigh Career and Technical Institute provide students with certifications and skills that are critical to helping Pennsylvanians explore meaningful career options, no matter which pathway they choose.”
Continuing his commitment to creating multiple pathways to success for students, Governor Tom Wolf has proposed a $6 million increase for career and technical education in his final budget.
Over the past seven years, the Wolf Administration has invested $116 million in science, computer science and technical education, including $80 million in the innovative PAsmart program, and $36 million in apprenticeships and workforce training. Since 2015, the number of career and technical education students earning industry-recognized credentials has increased by 38.7 percent and the number of credentials earned by students enrolled in CTE programs has grown by 33.6 percent.
LCTI is one of the largest career and technical centers in the United States. Covering 47 acres, LCTI offers more than 40 programs in areas like arts and humanities, business and communication technology, engineering and advanced manufacturing, health and human services, and industrial technology, as well as a wide range of academic classes in their Academic Center, which is designed to prepare students for success in college and their careers. The five-wing building includes 450,000 square feet of labs filled with cutting-edge technology.
The school serves more than 2,700 students living in the Allentown, Catasauqua Area, East Penn, Northern Lehigh, Northwestern Lehigh, Parkland, Salisbury Township, Southern Lehigh, and Whitehall-Coplay school districts.
“LCTI is celebrating its 50th year of career and technical education and there has never been a greater need for a skilled workforce,” said Dr. Thomas Rushton, Executive Director for Lehigh Career and Technical Institute. “We look forward to the next 50 years of supporting business and industry in the Lehigh Valley and beyond.”
According to a study, 80 percent of high school students who paired academic courses with rigorous CTE met college and career readiness goals, compared to 63 percent of students who focused solely on academics.
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