Words From the Director
While the valley struggles with high unemployment, it also
struggles with a shortage of skilled workers. SUN Area Technical
Institute is part of the solution to myriad economic and workforce
problems. SUN Tech strives to improve the educational opportunities and
choices for all high school and adult students. We are always evolving
in response to the community's economic needs and training today's
students for tomorrow's jobs right here in your own back yard.
The Problem:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce suggests that almost 80 percent of
all jobs in the foreseeable future will require some type of
certification, credential, postsecondary degree or long-term training,
though only 40 percent of these jobs require a four-year college degree.
Yet, only 25 percent of the workforce will be qualified to successfully
perform these jobs. According to Manpower Inc., a world leader in
employment services, workers with specialized skills like electricians,
carpenters, and welders are in critically short supply in many large
economies, a shortfall that marks another obstacle to the global
economic recovery.
Dr. Gray, Penn State Workforce Education Professor explains the
fate of 100 Pennsylvania Elementary School Children as follows: 23 drop
out, 29 High School graduates go to work, 48 Enroll in college, 10 drop
out their freshman year, 12 graduate in six years, 6 take “gray collar”
jobs, and 6 find college level jobs. According to Dr. Gray the supply
and demand for university graduates is as follows: for 1,439,264
university graduates from 2000 through 2012 only 670,000 or 47% will be
employed in college level occupations, and only 13% of all jobs will
require just a BA degree.
In the three SUN Tech counties, Snyder, Union and Northumberland
it is expected by 2012 there will be a shortage of three thousand
skilled workers and that for every 25 retired workers it is believed
that there will only be one individual qualified to fill the position.
The Union/Snyder County Career Link has seen a huge skill gap between
employer needs and the availability of skilled workers. Some of the jobs
available include jobs requiring specific computer skills, wood
identification, computer aided drafting, sprinkler system installers,
programmable logic controller workers, electricians with 3-phase
knowledge, structural steel workers and commercial truck drivers. It is
also believed that the Marcellus Shale play will be pulling skilled
workers and technicians from our area.
The Solution:
SUN Tech prepares valley students for the high-skilled,
increasingly high tech jobs that are going unfilled. Our 20 programs are
designed to prepare students for a seamless transition into
postsecondary education or to go straight into a high demand high
priority occupation that offers family sustaining and lucrative wages.
SUN Tech is responsive to the needs of our students and the needs
of business and industry partners. We strive to provide students with
the labor market advantage, training, and qualifications needed to fill
these jobs, grow local business and industry and attract new businesses
and industry to the area.
Students can save time and money by earning 9 tuition free
college credits in one of our seventeen programs approved by The Bureau
of Career and Technical Education as Programs of Study. Successful
candidates are rewarded with 9 transferable college credits to go onto
one of many participating postsecondary institutions within the state.
Students can also apply for one of our six programs that offered
up to 15 Penn College dual enrollment credits at no cost to the
students. In these programs our instructors teach Penn College
curriculum and act as adjunct faculty members. This enables SUN Tech
students to earn credits toward an associate or bachelor's degree while
still living at home. Fifteen college credits could cost students more
than $11,340 if living on campus. We also started offering Penn College
academic courses during the summer so students can eliminate some of the
travel time to Williamsport.
In some cases students may be able to take advantage of a
combination of college credit programs including: Programs of Study,
dual enrollment, articulation agreements, and advanced placement credits
when planning to further their education at a post-secondary
institution. This could afford students the opportunity to acquire up to
21 combined college credits.
This year we opened a second Health Program, both programs offer
clinical experiences and CNA certification. They also offer 2 dual
enrollment courses with the Harrisburg Area Community College with an
inexpensive $35 application fee and a $50 per course tuition fee.
SUN Tech will continue to be proactive and update curriculum as
new trends in technology continue to reshape our workplace and careers.
High school students and adults who are interested in career enhancement
or changes will be able to take advantage of some of the new curriculum
developed for computer forensics, solar photovoltaic systems, solar
thermal systems, wind and geothermal energy.
We also offer more than 35 industry certifications, earning one
of these certifications could be the difference between landing and not
landing a job. Students can also choose to enter the workforce in our
cooperative education program and earn an income while they learn a
trade.
If you are an intermediate or high school student and have not
yet decided on a career or if you are the parent of one of these
students call one of our administrators to find out about the choices
SUN Tech has to offer. Whether you want to enter the workforce right out
of high school or further your education we can help to make it a smooth
transition.
Sincerely,
Dennis C. Hain,
Administrative Director