Workforce and Economic Development Center
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology's Workforce and Economic Development Center (formerly Skill Up Fast) offers short-term training programs that prepare individuals for in-demand job opportunities. These programs are ideal for individuals who are looking for a change in career, need skills for employment, or are looking to increase their skills to advance in their current job. Our instructors are experienced in their field, and provide a unique, hands-on curriculum.
Select a program below to learn more about it.
Production Welding
Facilities Maintenance Technician
Commercial Industrial ElectrO-Mechanical
Commercial and Industrial Plumbing
Commercial and Industrial HVAC
Information Technology Division
Production Welding Training - Six Weeks
Average first-year base wage: $16-$19/hour
What Do Production Welders Do?
Professional welders work almost everywhere - automotive, aerospace & aviation industries; bridges & bikes; shipyards, shops & skyscrapers - wherever metal needs adhering, a welder is needed.
What Will You Learn?
- Importance of welding in the modern manufacturing industry
- Properties of metals
- Gas, metal arc (GMAW), and Flux core arc welding (FCAW) techniques
- Safety
Where Will You Work?
The Thaddeus Stevens College welding training class teaches you skills that can be used worldwide, so almost anywhere you want to go, your welding training can take you there! There are many employers in Lancaster and across Pennsylvania that need skilled welders.
Program Schedule
Production Welding is a six-week program that meets weekends, Saturday and Sunday, 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Greenfield Industrial Park Campus.
Cost
$2,300
Facilities Maintenance Technician Training - 6 Month Program
Average first-year base-wage: $18/hour
What Do Facilities Maintenance Technicians Do?
The Facilities Maintenance Technician is multi-skilled and typically performs building maintenance tasks ranging from basic repairs to operating computerized building automation systems. The Facilities Maintenance Technician possesses a variety of trade skills. There is a broad range of opportunities for employment and career advancement in residential, commercial and institutional settings.
What Will You Learn?
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Facilities Maintenance Technology program provides instruction and training in a number of technical training areas:
- OSHA Safety
- Mathematics; measuring and layout
- Blueprint Reading
- Hand tools, portable hand tools, power machinery
- Carpentry: Interior & exterior wall repair
- Plumbing systems: rough-ins and fixtures
- Electrical systems: rough-ins and devices
- HVAC/R
- Forklift operations
Certifications include:
- Customer service
- OSHA - 10 hour safety card
- Power Actuated Fastener
- Lockout/Tagout
- Forklift
- Rigging
- Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Certificate
In addition, upon completing the program, participants may have the opportunity to pursue post-secondary education at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.
Program Schedule
The Facilities Maintenance Program is a 6-month program that meets Mondays through Fridays, 7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Class location varies throughout the program depending on the trade unit. Class locations include Thaddeus Stevens College main campus on King Street, Lancaster; the Greenfield Industrial Park Campus, Lancaster; the ABC Training Center, Mount Joy; and the Tec Centro Campus, Lancaster.
Program Dates
Fall: July 17 – Dec 17 2024
Spring: Jan 15 – Jun 17 2025
Cost
$6,300
Commercial and Industrial - Six Month Programs
The commercial and industrial six-month programs meet Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at Tec Centro South West (57 Laurel Street, Lancaster, PA).
Individual Programs
Commercial Industrial Electro-Mechanical
Commercial Industrial Electro-Mechanical training provides the opportunity to acquire the theory and skills needed to gain employment in the manufacturing, and factory setting as an entry level industrial maintenance technician with basic skills in mechanical systems, and electrical systems.
Graduates of the commercial and industrial electrical program will be able to hit the ground running to maintain, calibrate and trouble shoot equipment most commonly used in today’s high-tech manufacturing facilities.
Skills and safe working habits are developed through hands on projects and learning. The electrical classroom includes tools, equipment and instrumentation typically found in commercial and industrial settings.
Program Dates
Fall: July 17 – Dec 17 2024
Spring: Jan 15 – Jun 17 2025
Cost
$6,300
Commercial and Industrial Plumbing
Students in the Commercial and Industrial Plumbing program will learn how to install, repair and maintenance plumbing systems in new and existing commercial and industrial buildings or structures with industrial-grade fixtures, pipes and outlets.
Some of the skills acquired are joining different types of piping materials, and installing and repairing industrial grade pipes, plumbing fixtures, faucets, and water heaters.
Employment opportunities in the commercial and industrial plumbing industry can range from basic office buildings to large-scale buildings/complexes, factories, hospitals, malls and manufacturing facilities.
The plumbing classroom includes tools, piping, fixtures and equipment typically found in commercial and industrial settings.
Program Dates
Fall: July 17 – Dec 17 2024
Spring: Jan 15 – Jun 17 2025
Cost
$6,300
Commercial and Industrial HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning)
This program prepares the student for the fast-growing, commercial and industrial heating, ventilation and air conditioning field. Students learn current methods of identifying and performing efficiency evaluations on various types of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems for large building or structures such as hospitals, apartment complexes or retail businesses.
Careers abound in a variety of positions as service technicians and installation technicians.
The HVAC classroom includes tools, equipment and instrumentation typically found in commercial and industrial settings.
Program Dates
Fall: July 17 – Dec 17 2024
Spring: Jan 15 – Jun 17 2025
Cost
$6,300
Average first-year base wage: $21/hour
Information Technology Division
Information sciences drives business operations in manufacturing, retail, logistics, medicine, aerospace, construction, and defense industries, as well as our everyday lives. The need for computer information professionals will continue to increase as organizations seek new applications for computers and networks in the workplace. Our IT Support Specialist program will prepare students to pursue a career pathway.
What will I learn as an IT Support Specialist?
- Customer Support and Job Readiness
- PC Hardware and Support Fundamentals
- Operating Systems
- Introduction to Networking
- LAN Cabling and WAN Technologies
- Basic Microsoft Office/Office 365 Programs
Certifications Include:
- CompTIA Fundamentals and Microsoft Office Specialist-Expert.
IT Support Specialists provide technical assistance to computer users. They answer questions or resolve computer
problems for clients in person, via telephone, or electronically. They may provide assistance concerning the use of
computer hardware and software, including printing, installation, word processing, electronic mail, and operating systems.
Program Schedule
- Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Six-month semester
Location
- Tec Centro Southwest - High and Laurel Street, Lancaster, PA
Cost
- $6,300 (scholarship funding available for qualifying students)
Program Start Dates
Fall: July 17 – Dec 17 2024
Spring: Jan 15 – Jun 17 2025
Customized Job Training
Unlock your company's potential with Customized Job Training! Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology's Workforce and Economic Development Center works closely with your company to develop training that addresses your team's skills and goals. All of the Workforce and Economic Development Center's certificate programs are taught by industry professionals or specialized faculty, where students gain hands-on experience and practical knowledge relevant to the job! We track progress and evaluate the effectiveness of our training's through regular assessments and feedback sessions.
Industrial Electrical Maintenance
Program Schedule
- 6 Weeks Tuesday/Thursday 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Cost
- $700 per person
This 13-module course covers Introduction to electricity, electromagnetism, power, solving series and parallel circuits, fuses, circuit breakers, electric motors, motor performance, control cabinet components, ladder logic and electrical prints, motor controls and wiring, sensors, VFD set-up and programming, trouble shooting, PLC concepts, and PLC programming.
Industrial Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC)
Program Schedule
- 10 Weeks Monday/Wednesday 1pm-4pm
Cost
- $1,155 per person
Modules include PLC Introduction, Developing PLC programs using Logix Pro, Interfacing - Inputs and Outputs, Open Source PLC Programming using a microprocessor (Arduino Uno), Click - Automation Direct and Soldering.
Next Steps
Request MORE Information
For more information about any of the Workforce and Economics Development programs highlighted above, including program start dates or the recently announced grant from the PNC Foundation, please contact Amy Welsh:
CareerLink
CareerLink participants may be eligible for scholarships. Call 717-509-5613 or visit www.jobs4lancaster.com for more information.