'We got the word out:' Popularity, enrollment booms at Northern Westmoreland vo-tech school

Enrollment at Northern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center is the highest it’s ever been.

This year’s enrollment stands at 621 students, which is an increase of more than 30% over the past two years, according to Director Jason Hicks.

“We got the word out, and have pressed hard on that for years,” said Jill Awes, business industry liaison at Northern Westmoreland vo-tech. which is located next to Valley High Scho0l in New Kensington. “And finally, it’s out.”

The center accepts high school students from Burrell, Franklin Regional, Kiski Area and New Kensington-Arnold school districts. Welding, culinary arts and cosmetology have added second classrooms to meet an influx of students.

And that’s just the beginning of its growth, Hicks believes.

“As industry demands continue to evolve, NWCTC remains dedicated to developing innovative pathways that align with emerging workforce needs,” he said. “Through pathways, students are empowered to make informed career decisions and enter the workforce with confidence before they even graduate high school.”

Careers in high demand

Northern Westmoreland’s largest program is welding, with 103 students enrolled. Instructor Austin Toy thinks that’s because students have realized the opportunities for welding jobs that are available and in demand.

The American Welding Society projects a shortage of more than 320,000 welders in just four years because of an aging workforce, the lack of new applicants and a growing demand for welding services.

Toy said students receive hands-on experience and often get co-ops or other working opportunities while in school.

Tyler Beam, a welding student and senior at Kiski Area, is getting job experience at CID Associates in Buffalo Township.

Beam said the welding program “helped in every way possible.”

“We’ve learned the theories of welding, and practice,” he said.

After graduation, students are encouraged to enroll in a union and get some type of training to obtain a job, Toy said. They also can earn a high wage right off the bat with no debt.

The national median salary for welding jobs is $55,600, according to the American Welding Society.

Toy said the program also opened students’ eyes to other fields related to welding, such as safety science, inspections, and engineering.

“It makes you valuable not just being a laborer, but you have the knowledge of how to fuse metals together,” Toy said.

Another field with a huge need in qualified workers is cosmetology, said instructor Meghan Dunegan-Rozycki. There are 83 students in Northern Westmoreland’s cosmetology program this year.

Dunegan-Rozycki said the covid-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of cosmetology because people were unable to go to salons without restrictions.

Northern Westmoreland is one of the few places, if not the only place, in the New Kensington area for cosmetology education. Franco’s Beauty Academy and Pittsburgh Beauty Academy, both in New Kensington years ago, no longer exist.

“Every single one of my students is working,” Dunegan-Rozycki said. “Maybe 10 years ago, that wasn’t the case. There’s a huge need right now.”

A total of 1,250 hours is needed for a student to acquire a cosmetology license, which gives them the legal ability to work in Pennsylvania, Dunegan-Rozycki said. Northern Westmoreland also offers a cosmetology teaching license program, which requires an additional 500 hours of work.

Megan Bollinger, a senior at Kiski Area, said skills learned in cosmetology have translated well into her job at Headlines by Kelly, a studio in Lower Burrell.

“I learned how to talk to people at the salon, here,” she said. “It’s a beautiful industry. People like making people feel beautiful.”

More than $185,000 in grants was obtained to support the expansion of the welding program, Hicks said.

Grants totaling $59,500 supported the culinary arts program’s expansion. Culinary arts has 53 students enrolled this year.

“It’s a field where there’s always going to be a demand,” said Emily Beerbroer, culinary arts instructor.

“We’ve seen tremendous growth all throughout the school.”

Outgrowing space

Northern Westmoreland staff members visit eighth and ninth grade classrooms to let students know about the school’s opportunities. Those students appear to be more engaged than in previous years.

“Parents and other outside influences are more open to a future in the (trades),” Hicks said. “They’re realizing these are viable opportunities for a career and to provide a family-sustaining wage.”

Hicks predicts future growth at the school. As long as the programs remain in demand, so will the need for an educated workforce, he said.

“The reality is, we’ve outgrown our space here,” Hicks said. “We need to look at different options.”

Hicks said the center is looking into satellite locations for its programs. One such program is the aspiring educators class, which is held at Burrell High School and aims to give experience to students that want to be teachers.

An October 2023 review from the National Center for Education Statistics found that 86% of public schools nationwide reported challenges in hiring teachers for the 2023-24 year. Challenges included a lack of job applicants.

“Career and technical education is no longer just about teaching trades — it’s about preparing students for the workforce of tomorrow,” Hicks said. “Here at NWCTC, we’re expanding opportunities so students can graduate not only with skills, but with confidence, credentials and connections.”