The multi-million dollar renovation project at the Carbon Career and Technical Institute (CCTI) in Jim Thorpe is moving along nicely, according to a report by the Clerk of the Works accepted by the Joint Operating Committee during its normal April meeting Thursday evening. Many of the labs are already being occupied by the school and students are gaining access to new equipment.

According to David Kost, Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds for CCTI, all five academic teachers are in place in the new addition equipment is being moved into the newCarpentry and Cosmetology labs this week. The library is also scheduled to be moved this week.The marketing and sales distribution classrooms are completed and equipment, including the school store, are being moved into them now.Demolition continues in other parts of the building. The former Cosmetology lab has already been demolished and contractors will begin putting studs into the walls for new walls next week. Demolition of the former Carpentry lab began this week in order to turn that space into the new welding shop. The old bathrooms will be taken out next."Everything is going along smoothly," Kost told the council. "When ever we first occupied the new classrooms we were concerned about the heating and air conditioning, but that went very well, as well."The next items on the work list will be to move the library, the Integrated Information Systems Technology department and the administrative offices, which are slated to be moved as soon as the networking cables are installed in the walls.In addition, there are now 8 new wireless access points between the first and second floors, giving the school full wireless coverage. All of the computers are set up in the marketing classroom as well as carpentry and cosmetology departments and are all working."Dave and his crew have done a great job," said CCTI Administrative Director Dave Reinbold. "They've put in a lot of extra hours and been doing whatever it takes. And the students have been great, too. There have been no issues with them during this transition."In addition to the new space, the construction budget is also allowing the school to invest in some new equipments. At its meeting on Thursday, the JOC approved a motion to allow the purchase of 10 Miller XMT Mig Runner welding packages and 6 Miller Syncrowave 250DX Tig Runner packages valued at just over $70,000. In addition, the council moved to approve the purchase of 130 Hewlett-Packard All-in-One desktop computers at a cost of about $85,000.The work on the new addition is expected to continue into the summer.