Pennsylvania College of Technology hosted nearly 100 K-12 educators Friday to talk about technology education, the skills gap in the U.S. workforce and how they can work together to help students transition from high school to college.The educators – many of whom are school counselors and administrators – traveled from as far away as Erie, Pittsburgh and Chester County.
“We have a dual purpose of introducing educators to our campus and programs and helping them understand the importance of applied technology,” said Tanya Berfield, manager of college transitions at Penn College. “We want to help fill the gaps in administrative professional development and hit the hot topics that are important in their world.”
Among hot topics for afternoon sessions were the admissions process, career exploration and helping students choose a major they’ll love, helping students with disabilities transition to college, and developing engaged student-leaders.“We appreciate days like today to interact with you who are very important to our common goal of helping our students to be successful,” Carolyn R. Strickland, vice president of enrollment management, told the audience.
During a rousing welcome, Bruce A. Wehler, assistant professor of English-composition, presented challenges in the high school-to-college transition that students face.He thanked the educators for the difference they make in helping students to grow beyond their circumstances.
“You change lives,” he said.
In a keynote address, Strickland discussed the skills gap in the U.S. workforce. In health care and in manufacturing, there are more job openings than there are qualified citizens to fill them.
“The discussion needs to begin with perception,” Strickland said.
She said that two-thirds of teens consider manufacturing occupations to be dirty, dangerous, requiring little critical thinking and having little room for advancement.
But that is simply not the case, she noted, sharing stories of students landing jobs that require technical know-how, innovation and creativity. Employers have called the Penn College graduates they hire “gold collar” because they have the technology skills associated with a blue-collar worker and the soft skills of a white-collar worker.“For those students who have the skills required by the modern workforce, ... careers with incredible opportunities await.”