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Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Deputy Secretary for Workforce Development Eileen Cipriani today visited the Upper Bucks County Technical School (UBCTS) and highlighted Governor Tom Wolf’s PAsmart proposal to prepare students with the education and job skills that local employers need in the global economy. “Investing in career and technical education (CTE) centers like Upper Bucks County Technical School ensures that our workers and students get the real-world skills they need to compete for in-demand, 21st century jobs,” said Cipriani. “It is our goal that by 2025, 60 percent of Pennsylvanians will have some form of postsecondary education and training. Governor Wolf has proposed historic new investments, so students and workers get the skills for good jobs and business can find the talented people they need to grow.” With employers expanding in Pennsylvania, Governor Wolf has made education and job training a top priority for his administration. In his 2018-19 budget, the governor proposed PAsmart – a first-of-its-kind workforce development proposal to invest $50 million for STEM and computer science education, support hands-on technical education programs, and encourage employers and schools to coordinate together to help students get the skills employers need. To ensure that students and workers are prepared for success within in-demand careers, Governor Wolf’s PAsmart proposal provides for an additional $10 million investment to develop CTE and STEM career readiness programs. These additional funds will be used to promote programs that allow high school students to earn both a high school diploma and post-secondary credentials, and to support non-traditional students and workers such as incumbent, underemployed and dislocated workers to earn post-secondary credits and credentials aligned to in-demand CTE and STEM careers. Cipriani toured some of UBCTS’s career and technical offerings including automotive technology, welding, machining technologies, health care, construction technology and electrical technology program labs. During the tour, she also visited with students from the mechatronics program, which combines electronics and mechanical engineering. Mechatronics is a new offering for the 2017-2018 school year and provides students the opportunity to work on industry-grade equipment, some of which was purchased through grant funding allocated by the Wolf Administration. Students enrolled in all of these programs earn high-demand, high-priority industry certifications to meet the needs of regional employers. “UBCTS promotes career and technical education programs that prepare students for successful careers, and helps adults train or retrain to better meet the needs of local employers,” said Cipriani. “Governor Wolf’s PAsmart proposal supports new investments in career and technical education programs that provides students and adults with solid technical training, and encourages the development of partnerships that offer post-secondary credits, and industry recognized credentials and certifications, to assist students as they transition from high school to college, or into a career.” “UBCTS provides a diverse offering of career and technical education programs to secondary students, and runs adult evening classes,” said Upper Bucks County Technical School’s Assistant Director Cathleen Plesnarski, M.Ed. “We offer over 60 industry-recognized certifications among our 21 Pennsylvania Department of Education-approved programs. We also have a strong partnership with Bucks County Community College, including a robust articulation agreement signed with the college in January 2017. “Bucks developed a customized associate degree, Technical Entrepreneurship, which allows our students to parlay their technical training with entrepreneurship, and business management skills. Students who participate in any one of 20 programs at UBCTS can be awarded 20 credits for scoring advanced on the NOCTI and earning at least one industry credential. They can earn an additional 3 credits for completing 200 hours of cooperative education employment. We also offer two dual enrollment classes on our campus. Students have the potential of leaving our programs with 29 credits towards an associated degree before they graduate from high school,” Plesnarski added. Upper Bucks County Technical School serves approximately 700 students in grades nine through 12 from Palisades, Pennridge, and Quakertown school districts. UBCTS offers 21 Career and Technical programs to secondary students and runs adult evening classes in manufacturing, construction, and automotive at the newly renovated, state-of-the-art facility. For more information about pursuing an education and career in Pennsylvania at any stage of life, visit PAsmart.
Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Deputy Secretary for Workforce Development Eileen Cipriani today visited the Upper Bucks County Technical School (UBCTS) and highlighted Governor Tom Wolf’s PAsmart proposal to prepare students with the education and job skills that local employers need in the global economy.
“Investing in career and technical education (CTE) centers like Upper Bucks County Technical School ensures that our workers and students get the real-world skills they need to compete for in-demand, 21st century jobs,” said Cipriani. “It is our goal that by 2025, 60 percent of Pennsylvanians will have some form of postsecondary education and training. Governor Wolf has proposed historic new investments, so students and workers get the skills for good jobs and business can find the talented people they need to grow.”
With employers expanding in Pennsylvania, Governor Wolf has made education and job training a top priority for his administration. In his 2018-19 budget, the governor proposed PAsmart – a first-of-its-kind workforce development proposal to invest $50 million for STEM and computer science education, support hands-on technical education programs, and encourage employers and schools to coordinate together to help students get the skills employers need.
To ensure that students and workers are prepared for success within in-demand careers, Governor Wolf’s PAsmart proposal provides for an additional $10 million investment to develop CTE and STEM career readiness programs. These additional funds will be used to promote programs that allow high school students to earn both a high school diploma and post-secondary credentials, and to support non-traditional students and workers such as incumbent, underemployed and dislocated workers to earn post-secondary credits and credentials aligned to in-demand CTE and STEM careers.
Cipriani toured some of UBCTS’s career and technical offerings including automotive technology, welding, machining technologies, health care, construction technology and electrical technology program labs. During the tour, she also visited with students from the mechatronics program, which combines electronics and mechanical engineering. Mechatronics is a new offering for the 2017-2018 school year and provides students the opportunity to work on industry-grade equipment, some of which was purchased through grant funding allocated by the Wolf Administration. Students enrolled in all of these programs earn high-demand, high-priority industry certifications to meet the needs of regional employers.
“UBCTS promotes career and technical education programs that prepare students for successful careers, and helps adults train or retrain to better meet the needs of local employers,” said Cipriani. “Governor Wolf’s PAsmart proposal supports new investments in career and technical education programs that provides students and adults with solid technical training, and encourages the development of partnerships that offer post-secondary credits, and industry recognized credentials and certifications, to assist students as they transition from high school to college, or into a career.”
“UBCTS provides a diverse offering of career and technical education programs to secondary students, and runs adult evening classes,” said Upper Bucks County Technical School’s Assistant Director Cathleen Plesnarski, M.Ed. “We offer over 60 industry-recognized certifications among our 21 Pennsylvania Department of Education-approved programs. We also have a strong partnership with Bucks County Community College, including a robust articulation agreement signed with the college in January 2017.
“Bucks developed a customized associate degree, Technical Entrepreneurship, which allows our students to parlay their technical training with entrepreneurship, and business management skills. Students who participate in any one of 20 programs at UBCTS can be awarded 20 credits for scoring advanced on the NOCTI and earning at least one industry credential. They can earn an additional 3 credits for completing 200 hours of cooperative education employment. We also offer two dual enrollment classes on our campus. Students have the potential of leaving our programs with 29 credits towards an associated degree before they graduate from high school,” Plesnarski added.
Upper Bucks County Technical School serves approximately 700 students in grades nine through 12 from Palisades, Pennridge, and Quakertown school districts. UBCTS offers 21 Career and Technical programs to secondary students and runs adult evening classes in manufacturing, construction, and automotive at the newly renovated, state-of-the-art facility.
For more information about pursuing an education and career in Pennsylvania at any stage of life, visit PAsmart.