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FCCTC also cooperates with Harrisburg Area Community College( HACC) by providing unique access for its students through College in the High School. High school students can earn college credits at HACC for the courses they take at FCCTC.“ Our teachers have been approved by the college and are considered adjunct professors,” says Brenda Kimple, school counselor and program administrator.“ They teach with the same curriculum, books and tests. And, this year we will hold similar evening classes for adults.”
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IN HIGH DEMAND Contrary to some beliefs about vocational education, there are good-paying jobs and countless opportunities for advancement available. While some FCCTC graduates go on to higher education, others are being hired for positions that pay anywhere from $ 20 to more than $ 25 an hour with full benefits. A recent article in The New York Times noted that the median earnings of students with a vocational certificate are“ 20 percent higher” than those who graduate from high school with a standard diploma.
At 18 years old, 2012 graduate Zack Kennedy was making a solid salary plus benefits at Johnson Controls in Waynesboro as a computer numerical control machine operator.“ If I did not have the training from FCCTC, I would not have been able to find a job like this after finishing high school,” Zack says.“ There are not many kids in my particular field, and companies are having trouble finding employees.” Zack’ s experience reflects the“ strong demand from industry throughout the Cumberland Valley for people in assembly, machining and welding,” Keith adds.
Jake Dick, who studied automotive technology at FCCTC, has been working on cars since he was 12, but he still had a lot to“ learn about brakes, chassis and how an engine works.” Building on this training, he is further burnishing his skills with automotive diagnosis and related computer technology.“ If you don’ t know much, coming to classes at FCCTC will help you to understand the basics.” The transportation trades, such as diesel, automotive and agricultural mechanics, are popular among students now because there are strong employment opportunities, especially in light of the intermodal rail facility in Greencastle and the tremendous cargo traffic on I-81.
Another field with great growth and earning potential is healthcare, especially allied health such as X-ray technicians. The aging baby boomer generation will spur growth over the next 20- plus years, and to meet this need, FCCTC has added a medical assistant program and a certified nursing assistant coop program where students get on-the-job experience providing direct care to nursing home residents. And, despite the recession’ s hard hit on the construction industry, specializations in carpentry, HV / AC, plumbing and more are still viable.“ Some graduates from these programs head for advanced work at Penn State for degrees in construction management,” Keith adds.
Can the particular program that a student chooses be the path on which they will continue for the rest of their working life?“ I tell students that a severe accident or medical illness might leave them incapacitated and necessitate a job change,” Keith says,“ but if you have skills provided by a career and technological school, you will always have something to fall back on.” n
106 May / June 2013 Hagerstown: The Best of Life in Washington County & Beyond