Automotive
Technology
The Automotive Technology program has been specifically
designed to prepare students to continue their training at post-secondary
schools. The program follows the ASE
(Automobile Service Excellence) task list.
The program content consists of classroom instruction in: automotive fundamentals, brakes, steering and
suspension, electrical/electronic systems, engine performance and PA Safety and
Emission Inspection procedures. The
program utilizes a combination of classroom instruction, computer-based
learning and hands-on lab work for an innovative learning process. Student enthusiasm is enhanced by the
excitement of participating in various automotive skills contests offering
prizes and scholarship money.
COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES: Penn College of Technology; Montgomery County
Community College; Northampton Community College; Automotive Training Center.
• This program offers dual enrollment in meeting with Montgomery County Community
College requirements
•This program is an approved Program of Study.
Carpentry
For individuals with an aptitude for working
with tools and materials, the Carpentry program can be the stepping-stone to a
variety of rewarding careers. Training
in both carpentry and cabinetmaking prepares the student for job opportunities
in new home construction, commercial construction or the woodworking industry. Students may focus on areas of specialization
such as framing, roofing, siding, finish work or cabinetmaking. All students participate in the construction
of a new house built on site.
Residential carpentry construction makes up the major portion of the
program with production cabinetmaking available for all interested
students. Students should enjoy working
both indoors and outdoors, have good mechanical ability and manual dexterity,
have a sincere interest in building or woodworking, and a desire to work with
other people. Students will learn the
following: proper use of hand and power
tools, site layout using the transit, residential framing including floor, wall
and roof, exterior finish work including roofing and siding, door and window
installation, installation of aluminum soffits, gutters, and down spouts,
interior finish work including dry walling and hanging doors, interior trim
work including installing hard wood flooring, blueprint reading, estimating,
and introduction to construction management.
COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES: Penn College of Technology; Thaddeus Steven
State College of Technology; Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC)
Apprenticeship program.
•This program is an approved Program of Study.
Collision Repair
This program is designed for students interested in pursuing
employment in the field of collision and auto body repair. Students have the opportunity to gain
entry-level skills required for this profession. These skills are acquired through classroom
presentations, textbook readings, and hands-on experiences. Students use hand tools and power tools to
perform the various training activities.
The Collision Repair program covers instructional areas such as: safety instruction, estimating and customer
relations, and frame and uni-body repair.
Students are also instructed in metal straightening, welding and
cutting, panel replacement and alignment, surface preparation, and masking and
painting. During the course students are
expected to develop job acquisition skills.
The importance of safety, quality, productivity and teamwork is also
emphasized in this program. Students in
this program should have patience and attention to detail. Additionally, the Collision Repair program
follows the ICAR (Industry Curriculum of Automotive Repair) curriculum. The program is ASE (Automotive Service
Excellence) and NATEF (National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation)
certified.
COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES: Penn College of Technology; Thaddeus Stevens
State College of Technology; ATC (Automotive Training Center); Ohio Auto
College; Nashville Auto College; Universal Technical Institute.
•This program is an approved Program of Study.
Commercial Art
The students in this program will be introduced to the tools
and techniques used by successful
commercial artists. Students will
learn to use their creative art skills to translate client’s needs into
marketable artwork. The core curriculum
is structured to encompass design, composition, layout, illustration, computer
graphics, desktop publishing, and electronic production art. The Commercial Art program is an excellent
prelude to advanced post-secondary training in both colleges and commercial and
fine art schools. A career in art can
take three different directions: fine
arts, teaching, or commercial art. The
field of commercial art offers a broad number of employment opportunities and
provides great earning potential.
Students successfully completing this program will be prepared to work
in entry-level positions that could lead to an exciting career as a Commercial
Artist, Art Director or Production Supervisor.
COLLEGE OPPORTUNTIES:
Penn College of Technology; Montgomery County Community College; Art Institute of Philadelphia; Antonelli
Institute; Kutztown University; and many more.
•This program is an approved Program of Study.
Computer
Information Systems
Computer Information Systems (CIS) is a program designed for
students interested in pursuing careers in Information Technology. Areas of
focus include basic and advanced hardware and software topics with an emphasis
on networking. Students will be using CISCO curriculum in the CIS program. Students will be eligible to test for CCENT
certificates. Students enrolled in the CIS program must be highly motivated and
committed to achieving personal excellence. Based on the amount of technical
information each student must acquire from books and manuals, good reading and
comprehension skills are essential for success in the program.
COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES: Allentown Business School; Delaware County
Community College; Immaculata College; Penn State University; Drexel
University; Temple University; Montgomery County Community College; and many
more.
Cosmetology
The 3 year Cosmetology program is designed to prepare
students for the PA state professional licensing examination for Cosmetologists
and entry-level employment in the profession.
Students can receive 1250 hours of state required instruction in the 3
year program and develop skills in all aspects of Cosmetology including the
following services: sculpting, styling,
perming, hair color, skin care, chemical hair straightening, hair additions,
nails and most importantly people skills.
It is necessary for students to possess organizational abilities and
time management skills, as well as the capability to work independently. Students should also possess a sense of form,
artistry, and creativity. Hands-on
experiences are obtained two days a week in the WMCTC salon.
COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES: Cosmetology schools offer post-secondary
training for students who wish to pursue a Cosmetology teacher’s license.
Culinary Arts
The Culinary Arts program prepares students for successful
and rewarding careers in the production aspect of the food service industry.
Students will cover culinary equipment use, safety and sanitation. The production curriculum includes training
in soups, sauces, meats, fish and vegetable preparation as well as cake
decorating and techniques in BBQ cooking.
Students will operate an
in-school dining room to help them prepare to work in fine dining
restaurants. The students are also
eligible to participate in student run organizations with the possibility of
competing in culinary competitions.
COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES: Culinary Institute of America; Johnson &
Wales University; Penn College of Technology; Montgomery County Community
College; Baltimore International College, Philadelphia Restaurant School
• This
program offers dual enrollment in meeting with Montgomery County Community College requirements
•This program is an
approved Program of Study.
**NEW PROGRAM OFFERED
Dental Occupations
The Dental Technology program offers background and
experience to students who would like to become dental assistants or pursue a
degree in dental hygiene. The dental
occupations continue to be an increasingly in-demand career. Students will study everything from anatomy
and physiology to pharmacology and radiology, as well as learn about procedures
for running a dental office and complying with Occupational Safety and Health
Administration standards.
COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES: Montgomery County Community College, Penn
College of Technology.
Diesel Technology
The Diesel Technology program is designed to prepare
students to repair and service diesel engines used to power buses, trucks and
construction machinery. The employment
outlook for diesel mechanics and technicians in PA is projected to increase
over the next several years. Instruction
in this program will include the diagnosis of engine malfunctions, disassembly
of engines, examination of parts, reconditioning and replacement of parts,
controls and transmissions, the PA state inspection code, and many other skills
necessary to enter the diesel automotive field in an entry level position. Classroom instruction, computer based
learning and hands-on lab work are all utilized for effective learning.
COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES: Penn College of Technology.
Early Childhood
Education
The Early Childhood Education program offers training for
either direct employment in the early childhood profession or a strong
foundation for continuing into post-secondary education. This “teacher training” course emphasizes the
development of knowledge and skills necessary to provide safe, healthy, positive,
developmentally appropriate, and high quality care for young children. Classroom instruction is reinforced with
hands-on experience through the WMCTC on-site pre-school program for toddlers
and preschool-age children. Course work includes: instruction in PA Dept. of Welfare
regulations, first aid, nutrition, child development, structuring routines,
time management, curriculum planning, positive guidance techniques, observation
of children’s behavior, and supervisory skills relating to children. Emphasis is placed on self-help skills, self-concept,
art, language arts, music, math, science, social sciences, infection control,
room arrangement and developmentally appropriate practices.
COLLEGE OPPORTUNTIES:
Montgomery County Community College; Reading Area Community College;
most 4-year colleges.
•This program is an approved Program of Study.
Electrical
Occupations
This program has been developed to give students entry level
skills and knowledge to directly enter the workforce or pursue further
education. The program incorporates a combination of theory lessons and
practical experiences that provides the instruction in electrical theory,
National Electrical Code, residential, commercial, and industrial wiring
techniques, telecommunications, security, fire alarm, electrical maintenance,
industrial motor control and basic electronics.
The importance of safety, quality, productivity and teamwork is also
emphasized. WMCTC provides the opportunity for students to participate in the
student built house project. . Graduates may enter an apprenticeship program
to be trained as a highly paid journeyman electrician, or lineman. Electricians
install, connect, test, and maintain electrical power systems for residential,
commercial, and industrial buildings. Students can also further their education
at a technical school or university to become an electrical systems technician,
or an electrical engineer. The electrical occupations student should have good
mechanical aptitude, manual dexterity, eye-hand coordination, able to
distinguish between colors, mathematics fundamentals, and reading ability. The
electrical occupations program is NCCER certified (National Center for
Construction Education Research).
COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES:
Penn College of Technology; Penn State University; Montgomery County Community
College; Thaddeus Stevens State College of Technology; Reading Area Community
College; Lincoln Technical School; Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC)
Apprentice Program; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
Apprentice Program.
• This program is
an approved Program of Study.
Environmental
Design
This program offers rewarding careers to students who enjoy
working with plants in an innovative and constructive environment. Students
study landscape design, landscape construction, installation and maintenance of
landscape materials, hardscaping,
nursery and greenhouse crop production, basic plant information, plant
identification, floral design (fresh, dried, and silk) and equipment operation.
Floral designs are completed for weddings, school functions, and all holidays.
Students learn the process of bidding projects and ordering materials for both
floral and landscape projects. The school campus and off-campus sites
provide ample opportunities for learning landscape construction skills (retaining
walls, walkways, patios, ponds and the like), landscape installation skills
(the planting of trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals), and landscape maintenance
skills (mulching, pruning, fertilizing). Student management of several plant
crops in the greenhouse teaches crop production. Crops include perennials,
annuals, and holiday crops. The students also are in charge of operation of
Perfect Petals, a store that is open for the public to purchase student created
designs and plants.
COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES: Penn State University
(Berks campus); Penn College of Technology; Delaware Valley College; Temple
University, Longwood Gardens internship or Professional Gardener Program
**NEW PROGRAM OFFERED**
Graphic Design
Graphic communications occupations in Pennsylvania are
projected to increase and this career is on the high priority occupations list
locally and for the state. Students
enrolled in the graphic design program will learn how a creative idea is
carried through to the finished project, learning about everything from how to
use software to creating illustrations and design pages to the very technical
aspects involved in images assembly, plate-making, press operations and binding
and finishing. Students will gain
experience in both printing production and management. Live production work gives students valuable
hands on experience in the printing industry.
COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES: Penn College of Technology.
HA Health Careers
Academy (grade 12 only)
The Health Careers Academy program is designed for
college-preparatory students who are interested in pursuing a medical or health
science career after high school. Instruction is provided in the basic skills
in a variety of areas associated with health occupations such as health and
medical services, extensive medical terminology, pharmaceutical and medical
procedures and supplies. The clinical segment of the program provides students
with a wide variety of experiences in the various departments of a health care
facility. Mentors in specialty areas provide an overview of scope and nature of
practice, career opportunities, post-secondary education requirements,
practical experience, integration of health care systems, and ongoing
professional development requirements.
Students applying to this program will need to submit an
application with an essay, interview with instructor, have a recommended 3.0
GPA, and the ability to provide their own transportation to the clinical sites.
• This program offers dual enrollment in meeting with Montgomery County Community College requirements
Health Science
Technology
The Health Science Technology program consists of three
components: Introduction to Health Care and Careers, Nursing Assistant (NA) and
Medical Assistant (MA).
The NA component provides students with skills that enable
them to work in a long-term care facility, hospital, or home care setting. A
Nurse Assistant is a member of a team that provides direct patient care as
directed by the RN, while utilizing technical skills. This individual is also
responsible for completing and documenting patient care activities. A Nurse
Assistant promotes communication between the health care team and the patient,
and demonstrates initiative, flexibility and good work ethic. Students are
instructed in skills, clinical rotation and theory as required by the American
Red Cross Nurse Aide competency program. If all competencies are completed they
are eligible to take the state certification Nurse Aide Registry exam and CPR
certification.
The MA component will teach anatomy and physiology in depth
as well as nutrition, communication, pharmacology and medical ethics. Skills
that will be taught include EKG technique, phlebotomy, blood and body fluid
precautions, vital signs, positioning a patient for procedure, and medication administration.
First Aid certification and school-to-work based opportunities are available to
eligible students.
COLLEGE
OPPORTUNITIES: Montgomery County Community College; Gwynedd Mercy
College; Northampton Community College; Reading School of Nursing and
Radiology; Alvernia College, and others.
• This program offers dual enrollment in meeting with Montgomery County Community College requirements
• This program is an approved Program of Study.
Heating,
Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC)
This program provides knowledge and skills training in: air
conditioning, steam and hydronic heating, temperature and humidity control, air
circulation, duct and pipe system design and layout, thermostats, ventilating
equipment, automatic controls, zoning controls, and air water circulators.
Plumbing, electrical wiring, refrigeration technology, refrigerant recovery and
management, and blueprint reading will be introduced as well. Students will
also learn pipefitting, and power tool use, with trade safety being an integral
part of all facets of instruction. Students learn to install and repair
equipment in the lab and in actual field settings. The combination of lab
practice and theory prepares students for employment and advancement in today=s
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) industry. Students entering
this program should have a basic mechanical aptitude, be able to move heavy
objects, be self-motivated and a self-starter. This program is HVAC Excellence
and NCCER (National Center for Construction Education Research) certified.
COLLEGE
OPPORTUNITIES: Penn College of Technology; Montgomery County
Community College; Thaddeus Stevens State College of Technology; Associated
Builders & Contractors (ABC) Apprentice Program; Universal Technical
Institute.
• This program is an approved Program of Study.
Metal Technology
This course of study offers students introductory level
skills and knowledge necessary for entry into the machine trades tool &
manufacturing industries. This program
emphasizes the safe and proper operation and control of metalworking machine
tools, such as lathes, milling machines, precision grinders, drill presses and
band saws. Bench work, heat treatment
tools, and the proper use of precision measuring tools and gauges is also
explained, demonstrated, and utilized.
There is also a full welding component offered within this program. The
emphasis of this portion of the program will be in the safe operation and
technique of oxy-acetylene welding, electric arc welding and mig welding. In addition to practical skills,
manufacturing related theory, including workshop technology, technical
drawing/blueprint reading, and employability skills are presented to each
student. The Metal Technology program follows
the NIMS competency list.
COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES: Thaddeus Stevens State College of Technology;
Penn College of Technology; Montgomery County Community College and Reading
Area Community College.
Protective
Services
The mandated curriculum includes training in: Communication
Skills, Control Tactics, Motor Vehicle and Crimes Code, Criminal Procedure,
Laws of Arrest and Criminal Investigation. Additionally, students will also learn
Forensic Science, Finger Printing, Crime Scene Analysis and other types of
physical evidence. Students will also be introduced to Fire Prevention and Fire
Suppression. Accident Investigation, Interviewing and Interrogation, physical
conditioning, and Emergency Medical Services within the program. Students who
successfully complete the program may continue their studies to the college
level and obtain a criminal justice or fire science degree. Since the inception
of the program, students who graduated from Protective Services have entered
the military, graduated with their two year associated degree in criminal justice,
currently working in private security, corrections, or have already entered a
police academy.
COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES: Penn State University; West Chester
University; Montgomery County Community College; Northampton County Community
College, Penn College of Technology and most four-year colleges.
School-to-Work
Program at the Western Montgomery CTC
WMCTC strives to provide every student with the opportunity
to participate in an on-the-job experience.
WMCTC has partnered with various businesses and industries to provide
employment in the student’s technical field of study. Students must meet the eligibility
requirements along with the recommendation from their technical instructor. This opportunity occurs during the capstone
of the student’s technical program.
Other school-to-work programs include job shadowing,
clinical experiences and internships.
For further
information regarding enrollment into the Western Montgomery Career &
Technology Center, contact your guidance counselor or the WMCTC counselor at
610-489-7272 Ext. 214.
( updated: 07 Feb '12 )