Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Executive Deputy Secretary Dr. Debora Carrera Lehigh Career and Technical Institute (LCTI) to showcase the importance of career and technical education (CTE) celebrate LCTI’s 50th anniversary. She also recognized the governor’s  commitment to creating multiple pathways to success for students, as evidenced by a proposed $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 serving over 2,900 students, covering 47 acres, and offering 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.

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.

To view the entire press release, click here.