PA Commission for Community Colleges

Exciting news for healthcare education in Pennsylvania!

Penn Highlands Community College has partnered with Conemaugh Health System Memorial Medical Center to launch a new Surgical Technology Associate Degree program beginning Fall 2026!

This 5-semester program combines academic coursework at Penn Highlands with hands-on clinical experience inside Conemaugh’s operating rooms. It gives local students a direct pathway into high-demand operating room careers—allowing them to learn, work, and thrive right here in their home communities.

This new degree expands Penn Highlands and Conemaugh's healthcare partnership to four specialized degree options (including Paramedic, Radiologic Technology, and Histotechnology)!

Thank you to Penn Highlands and Conemaugh for investing in the next generation of healthcare professionals!

Read the full article here: https://www.wtaj.com/news/regional-news/penn-highlands-conemaugh-launch-new-surgical-technology-degree-program/

Photo credit: Penn Highlands Community College

NEWS: Four PA Community Colleges, AWS, and Light Brigade Team Up to Train Fiber Optics Technicians!

Skilled technicians are the backbone of our digital economy—and PA’s community colleges are stepping up to meet the demand!

Members of the Technology and Trades Consortium in Expanded Northeast PA - Luzerne County Community College, Lehigh Carbon Community College, Northampton Community College, and Bucks County Community College - recently hosted an intensive 4-day Fiber Optics certification training supported by Amazon Web Services (AWS) at Lehigh Carbon Community College.

Here’s why this matters for PA:

Train-the-Trainer Success: 13 faculty members and local Career and Technical Center (CTC) instructors earned their certification to begin teaching Fiber Optics at all four college campuses.

Hands-On Skills: Delivered by industry leader Light Brigade, the course combined classroom theory with 2 full days of hands-on technical application.

Statewide Blueprint: As PACCC President Dr. Tuesday Stanley highlighted, this effort serves as a model to replicate high-demand workforce training across the Commonwealth.

Future training sessions for students and local workers will be announced soon!

Exciting news for workforce training and clean transportation in Western Pennsylvania!

CCAC (Community College of Allegheny County) has received a donation of two 75 kW DC fast chargers from PITT OHIO to support their automotive and technical training programs.

As the transportation and logistics sectors shift toward electric and clean-energy vehicles, hands-on access to modern charging equipment ensures CCAC students are fully prepared for high-tech, family-sustaining careers in the skilled trades.

Thank you to PITT OHIO for investing in CCAC students and the future of Pennsylvania’s transportation workforce!

Read the full story here: https://www.thetrucker.com/trucking-news/business/pitt-ohio-donates-ev-fast-chargers-to-ccac-to-support-workforce-development

The Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges is excited to feature our member colleges partnering with the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) to open incredible opportunities for students and law enforcement officers across Pennsylvania!

Through the PSP Academy Internship Program, eligible students at participating community colleges can complete their final semester right at the PSP Academy in Hershey. You’ll earn your college degree while being paid as a cadet!

What you need to know:

✅ Earn while you learn: PSP Cadets receive a biweekly salary + room & board provided at no cost.
✅ Apply soon: Deadline for the college internship program is September 30!
✅ LEAP Program: Troopers can also convert their academy training into academic credits toward an associate degree at participating community colleges.

Shoutout to our participating community college partners:

Erie County Community College
Lehigh Carbon Community College
Luzerne County Community College
Northampton Community College
Penn Highlands Community College
Delaware County Community College

Interested in serving your community while finishing your degree? Learn more at: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/psp/newsroom/psp-accepting-applications-for-academy-internship-program-

Exciting news for workforce development in Pennsylvania!

Delaware County Community College College has entered into a major agreement with Hanwha Ocean to expand skilled-trades training for the Hanwha Philly Shipyard at the Philadelphia Navy Yard!

This partnership connects DCCC students and registered apprentices to nearly $3 billion in federal maritime and tracking ship contracts, along with thousands of new, high-paying jobs in welding, carpentry, plumbing, and technical trades.

As DCCC President Dr. Marta Yera Cronin noted, this MOU will support critical U.S. defense industries while providing family-sustaining wages for DCCC graduates.
We’re proud to see PA community colleges leading the way in global partnership and local economic growth!

Read the full story here: https://www.mychesco.com/a/education/colleges-universities/dccc/dccc-hanwha-expand-shipbuilding-workforce-pipeline/

Pennsylvania’s community colleges are committed to removing barriers and helping students take the next step toward their academic and career goals.

Our member institution, Bucks County Community College, is leading the way this August with Destination Bucks—a one-stop enrollment event designed to make getting ready for the fall semester simple and stress-free.

From August 10–24, prospective and returning students can meet one-on-one with advisors, complete free applications, explore financial aid, take placement tests, and register for classes—all in a single visit! Whether in-person at their Newtown, Bristol, or Perkasie campuses or online, Bucks is ensuring every student gets the personalized support they need.

With 2+2 dual admission agreements that save students 28% to 68% on a bachelor's degree, community colleges continue to provide unbeatable value for Pennsylvanians.

Kudos to the team at Bucks for creating accessible pathways for local learners!

Learn more about Destination Bucks and register: https://www.bucks.edu/academics/advising/

(Photo from Bucks County Community College)

Congratulations to Luzerne County Community College for being honored with the Community Advancement Award at the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce's STARS of the Valley Awards! 🏆✨

This recognition highlights LCCC's incredible leadership in workforce development, educational innovation, and community impact across Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Community colleges are truly the unsung heroes of our regional economy. While industries rapidly evolve, community colleges can pivot in months to meet real-time demands—whether that’s ramping up training for advanced manufacturing, healthcare, or IT. They bridge the gap between education and employment faster than almost anyone else.

Why the modern workforce relies on them:
⚡ Speed-to-skill: Programs built on stackable credentials get people into high-earning careers sooner.
🤝 Hyper-local alignment: Curriculums designed side-by-side with local employers fill real open roles, not theoretical ones.
🚪 Access & flexibility: Lowering financial and geographical barriers for non-traditional, working, and first-generation learners.

If you're looking to build a resilient workforce or upskill for your next career move, check out your local community college—a powerhouse engine of regional growth.

🔗 Learn more about the award: https://www.luzerne.edu/about/news/more.jsp?id=81

(📷 LCCC Award Photo)

Please enjoy the sixteenth installment of the podcast in our series: Community College Conversations - Montgomery County Community College: Dr. Chae Sweet, VP of Academic & Student Affairs and Provost, and Mike Bettinger, Chief of Staff: “Aspen Institute’s Unlocking Opportunity Initiative.” https://tinyurl.com/TS1of1

Congratulations to Allison Mosley, a New Castle resident and honors graduate in Butler County Community College’s Class of 2026. She has received a $1,000 scholarship from the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs - PICPA Foundation that recognizes her academic achievements.

Allison completed the college’s 62-credit virtual associate degree program in accounting and graduated cm laude, a recognition for those with a final grade-point average of 3.25 to 3.49. She also achieved BC3 president’s list honors after earning a grade-point average of at least 3.75 in the fall 2025 semester.

She is one of 63 higher education recipients statewide of the 2026 financial award.

Congratulations again!