Students return Monday to Carbon Career and Technical Institute in Jim Thorpe, and once again certain courses will be packed to the brim.

Increased popularity in areas such as welding has the school's joint operating committee looking at options for the future.Principal Brent Borzak said Thursday night that over 420 students would be in school when the building reopens for the 2015-16 session."That's the most we ever had while I'm here," he said. "That will change through the year and that's the normal course, but we've started over 400 for two or three years in a row now."CCTI had to turn kids away in 14 of its 15 vocational programs, Borzak said. Some courses are at full capacity in the morning and afternoon sessions."We have almost 20 kids in the welding area," he said. "We were so filled up we couldn't take any freshmen in that program, and we sent a lot of sophomores to their second or third choice. In the '80s and '90s, welding wasn't that popular, but it's really coming around and everyone wants to get in it."Andrew Yenser, member of the Lehighton School District board and CCTI joint operating committee, said he hopes to have a discussion in the coming months on what can be done to get more students involved in the programs of their choice."I hate to turn kids down who are trying to prepare themselves for the workforce," Yenser said. "This is a good problem to have, but whether it's expanding on lab space or adding a second lab in certain situations, we need to talk about what we can do."Currently, students from all of Carbon County's public schools have the opportunity to attend CCTI, but only Weatherly and Lehighton let their students go on a part-time basis.Darlene Yeakel of Palmerton wishes her district would get on board."By not offering the half-day option, you're holding back kids who want to do this," Yeakel said. "At the end of the day, it's all about training kids for the workforce."CCTI Executive Director Dave Reinbold said Lehighton has surpassed Palmerton in attendance at the school since they gave their students the option to attend for only half of the day."There was some resistance in the guidance office at first when we wanted to do it," Yenser said. "I think the big thing was how you accommodate certain situations like what if a student comes in as a junior. How do they still get their credits graduation and get their tech time in? But we got everyone around the table once or twice and got it done."Reinbold said despite being at capacity, the school has a waiting list, and if students withdraw, the next students in line would be contacted."It's what we call a rolling admissions process," he said.