MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Lycoming Career and Technology students make the dirt fly during a ceremonial ground breaking for an expansion to the school’s program Tuesday. The expansion will add a welding and diesel programs to the school.
From left is Danni Wilcox of Construction Technology from Muncy High School; Izaiah Shrawder, Auto Tech, Muncy; Audrey Walters, Culinary Arts, Hughesville; Miles Davis, Computer Tech, Montoursville; Carter Hefferan, Health Careers, Warrior Run; Blake Smith, Criminal Justice, Loyalsock; and Brittany Wojton, Early Childhood Education, Benton.
HUGHESVILLE — Calling it more than a construction milestone, Nathan Minium, executive director of the Lycoming Career and Technology Center (LycoCTC) addressed those who braved the cold to witness the groundbreaking for the center’s new addition this week.
“We celebrate more than a construction milestone, we celebrate investment in our students and in the future workforce of our region,” Minium said.
“This project will expand hands-on learning, strengthen career pathways and connect students directly with the skills local employers need,” he added.
The groundbreaking ceremony marks the start of a major expansion and renovation project made possible through a $5 million investment funded through the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP). Total cost of the multi-phase project is expected to be $12.3 million.
The project will enable the center to add new programs in welding and diesel technology. The additional space also will allow the early childhood program to relocate to the main facility. Because of the expansion, the school’s capacity will increase by approximately 150 students, according to information from the school.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
An artist rendering shows the additions to Lycoming Career and Technology Center.
Jason Fink, president and CEO of Williamsport Lycoming Chamber of Commerce, who was also at the event, noted that “being able to provide students the opportunity to access the quality education and workforce opportunities is key for us to be able to see because here in Lycoming County, all these skills they’re acquiring here are the skills that are required for businesses here.”
“If you look at what is out there today, the types of businesses that are looking to be able to hire people, it’s these students right here that are going to be able to acquire the jobs that we need here and their family-sustaining wages,” he added.
LycoCTC opened in 2006 and is located on the East Lycoming School District campus. It serves students from six member school districts — Benton, Loyalsock, Montoursville, Muncy, Warrior Run, and East Lycoming.
Rep. Joe Hamm, who also spoke at the event, admitted that “it was really easy to support this request and push for this funding because it was for our children, our youth, our future.”
He shared that when he was younger, in the 1980’s, he was told that he had to have a four-year degree if he wanted to be successful in life.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Lycoming Career and Technology Center Director Nathan Minium speaks during a ceremonial ground breaking for the schools new welding/diesel building Tuesday. The new building project will also include an expansion of the existing building to offer more space for the Culinary and Early Childhood programs.
“If I wanted to make good money I had to have this four-year degree,” he said he was told.
“But the truth is there was a study in the 1980’s that said for every one person who gets their graduate degree, master’s or higher, that we would need two undergrads to get with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, but we needed seven to get into the trades-that’s how we keep up with our workforce needs,” Hamm said.
“It’s really important that our children know that you don’t have to go to a university and get a four-year degree to be successful. LycoCTC embodies that trade program that gets you a darn good paying job right out of high school,” he said.
The event also featured remarks from Rep. Jamie Flick, Mike Mamrak, president of the LycoCTC Joint Operating Committee; Gerald McLaughlin, a former superintendent of record for Lyco CTC; and Matt Wise, district director for Sen. Gene Yaw. Yaw had been scheduled to speak but was called to Harrisburg for budget talks.
Lyco CTC students, representing the various disciplines at the school, were on hand to turn the first shovelfuls of dirt, marking the beginning of the project.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Lycoming Career and Technology Center Director Nathan Minium, right, speaks as students and local officials stand behind him during a ceremonial ground breaking for the schools new welding/diesel building Tuesday. The new building project will also include an expansion of the existing building to offer more space for the Culinary and Early Childhood programs.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Lycoming Career and Technology students line up ready to move some soil during a ceremonial ground breaking at Lycoming Career and Technology Center Tuesday. The project will provide a new building for the schools new diesel and welding programs.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Lycoming Career and Technology students don hard hats and take up shovels for a ceremonial ground breaking for an expansion to the school program Tuesday. The expansion will add a welding and diesel programs to the school.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
Lycoming Career and Technology students and officials break ground for an expansion to the school program Tuesday. The expansion is Phase I of three adding a welding and diesel programs to the school. Addition work will add space to the existing building adding space for Culinary and Early Education.