Carbon Career and Technical Institute Director David Reinbold announced four new union partnerships for the trade program apprenticeship programs last week.

Locals from the Pipefitters, Insulators, Machinists and Carpenters unions are joining the IBEW in offering CCTI students the opportunity to earn while they learn a trade. Each local has someone specifically assigned to oversee apprenticeships.

These unions will train students in a particular trade and guide them through their skill development until they are fully prepared to practice in that given trade.

Reinbold said apprenticeships are the best-kept secret in many schools.

It’s not often students are presented with the opportunity to earn a paycheck while learning a valuable trade.

To establish and maintain apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship awareness and participation, instructors Kevin Kuehner, Jeff Hazelton and Reinbold have contacted Dan Sabo of the Stein Seal Company who oversees a state-approved machinist apprenticeship program.

They have also contacted Pete Klein of the local 420 Sheet Metal Workers Apprenticeship Program, Pat Edmonds Local 19, and Fran Schenner and Francis Loughney of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.

“All have expressed interest in joining our Occupational Advisory Committees, and attending our trade show/open house and visiting our classrooms to promote their apprenticeship programs,” Reinbold said. “We are also working with the Carbon Schuylkill STEM Ecosystem and Highwood Technologies to develop a pre-apprenticeship program for current high school students.”

New certifications

CCTI provides students with the opportunity to earn certifications in various fields of study. The school offers about 50 different trade-based certification options.

Reinbold said that for the 2018-19 school year, he plans to “pursue academic certifications.”

He said certifications are commonly available for the career-based programs, but that academic certifications are less available.

The school is investigating a possible national civics exam as well as gardener or junior gardener certifications in conjunction with the Penn State Extension in Carbon County.

Reinbold also mentioned an additional goal of 100 percent of students achieving a score of advanced or proficient on the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute certification exams. These exams are required of all students in career or technical education programs.

“We have had 96 percent and 97 percent pass rates in the past,” Reinbold said. “One hundred percent is something I think our students can achieve.”

CCTI currently offers more than 60 career and technical industry certifications.

“To work toward meeting our goal of increasing the number of certs, we have recently added OSHA 10 and Pennsylvania Builders Association Certification (in process) to our carpentry program and added S/P2 (safety and pollution) and first aid/CPR to our culinary arts program,” Reinbold said.

Grant funding

Oct. 1 is looming large on Reinbold’s calendar. That is the due date for submitting a grant application seeking $46,000 to purchase training equipment for several of the career and technical programs at the school.

If approved, the grant money would be used to provide equipment such as a refrigeration trainer for students in HVAC, fiber-optic training, portable welding and other training programs. Reinbold said funding from sources such as the Carl D. Perkins grant, as well as the smaller equipment grants are the reason CCTI students have the most up-to-date equipment on which to learn.

After school

Nearly 60 students have signed up to participate in CCTI’s after-school programs this year.

Programs are held on Mondays and Thursdays and provide students with additional support in English, math, science and other skills.

The school also provides students in the program with snacks and transportation to home.

Reinbold said the program was held initially on Mondays, but was expanded to include an additional day because of its popularity.