Central PA Institute of Science & Technology
DESCRIPTION
CPI will produce highly competent individuals who are prepared and motivated to pursue the high skill careers of the 21st century. Vision Statement: Our vision at CPI is that every student will be provided with a high quality career and technical education in a safe environment. Students will leave CPI with the skills necessary for post-secondary training, the workforce, or the military. By combining academics with technical training, industry recognized certifications, concurrent dual enrollment opportunities, and articulated credits, CPI is uniquely poised to prepare students for post-secondary education and long-term career success. While CPI will continue to serve the employment training needs of high school students, the management and leadership continue to look to significantly expand the business, industry, and adult student training opportunities available in Central Pennsylvania. Given our location off of the new I-99 corridor and over 35 years of technical training experience, CPI envisions the development of expanded secondary and post-secondary certificate/degree offerings that will directly serve the Central Pennsylvania job market. CPI now offers Associate in Specialized Technology (AST) Degrees to high school graduates in the following areas: Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Health Care Management, Heavy Diesel Construction – CASE Emphasis, and Natural Gas Compression – CAT/Aerial Emphasis. Shared Values: CPI believes if students are to be successful, then the organization must: produce highly competitive individuals who are prepared and motivated to pursue high skill careers in the 21st century; continue to build the best career and technical school in the Central Region; possess integrity and class and strive for the highest level of student achievement and personal development; communicate with community leaders, industry representatives, sending schools, and parents to ensure that students are receiving the services that they need for success in future endeavors; maintain an “open-door” policy so that outside entities can see the value of career and technical education for today’s youth; coordinate home school and CPI programs so every CPI student receives the academic courses necessary for successful outcomes on the Keystone Exams and NOCTI tests; encourage and assist the sending school districts in the implementation of career-oriented curriculum and programs; provide CPI students with appropriate career counseling information in order to make informed decisions throughout their high school experience and upon graduation; continue to expand and upgrade secondary program offerings based on labor market and workforce development needs. A strong emphasis should be placed on the medical field as well as the transportation and emerging energy industries; create a school climate where all school employees work to develop respect and trust among themselves, the students, the parents, and the community. CPI is a community asset that is affordable, accessible, and accredited for both secondary and adult education students. We believe that it is necessary to provide a quality technical education to students of all ages interested in advancing their current skill set. Educational Community: Located on 52 scenic acres in Pleasant Gap in the heart of Centre County, the Central PA Institute of Science and Technology (CPI) was founded in 1969 as the Centre County Vocational-Technical School. Originally, CPI was built to meet the career and technical needs of secondary students in the Bald Eagle, Bellefonte Area, Penns Valley Area and State College School Districts. Since its founding, CPI has added a number of adult programs to its curriculum and redesigned many of the 17 secondary program areas to meet the needs of today’s learners and regional employment needs. In 1998, the school’s name was changed to CPI to reflect its competencies in scientific and technical education for high school students and the adult community. In 2005, an $8 million modernization project enabled CPI to become one of the premier career and technical centers in the state. CPI has become a major source of technical training for business and industry in Centre County and surrounding areas. Well-equipped laboratories and classrooms, highly skilled instructors, and curriculum based on industry standards and certifications prepare students to pursue post-secondary education and/orto enter the workforce/military. CPI offers Cooperative Education, Job Shadow, and Internship opportunities to all high school and adult learners. Articulation agreements are available in all program areas and assist students with advanced college credit at colleges and universities throughout the commonwealth. CPI has partnered with the Pennsylvania College of Technology to offer transcriptable credits in almost every program area. Several student organizations exist at CPI to enhance the leadership and technical skills of our students. These organizations include: National Technical Honor Society, Student Ambassadors, FCCLA, FFA, and SkillsUSA.
REQUIREMENTS
Occupational advisory committees provide additional guidance as to what should be taught and the latest trends in the respective career fields so that the curriculum reflects all aspects of an industry while meeting local industry needs. Informing students of the variety of jobs available that relate to their specific CTE program can also be done by introducing students to O*Net and providing them with access to the CPI Career Connection page on the CPI website. CPI’s Cooperative Education Program offers every student in every program the opportunity for job shadowing opportunities for three to five days, internship experiences for a maximum of 30 days, and half a day employment opportunities during their junior and senior years through the Capstone program. These hands on opportunities offer valuable experiences that cannot be duplicated in the classroom. Exposure to industry provides students with firsthand knowledge of the demands of today’s high skilled, high wage, and high priority occupations. In addition, all CPI instructors look for work outside of the school setting with our business and industry partners in order to ensure students know what is expected by their future employers. Instructors invite industry representatives to their programs to provide information to students regarding industry and employment expectations. All program areas are encouraged to take meaningful field trips to local business and industry.
COUNTY
CentreTOWN
