Any BOCES programs in PA? (Harrisburg, Williamsport: credit, employment, school districts)

[Jane0218]

In NY, there is BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services), which allows adults to inexpensively learn new skills in order to enhance their current employment or change careers. It's also used to teach teenagers in high school usable trade skills such as auto repair or hair stylist while they are still in high school.

Does PA have anything similar to this? What is it called?

[Dawne]

There are vocational technical schools in PA (vo-techs) which are usually subsidized by the school districts in the surrounding counties.

There is also CareerLink, I believe one in each county, that is like an employment agency and that also offers classes or helps people find inexpensive classes to enhance their training or retrain for other careers.

[ki0eh]

Although BOCES units in NY typically operate the vo-tech schools in NY State, I've not seen any of the vo-tech schools in PA with offerings for adults.

Sometimes the PA community colleges have non-credit offerings for adult learners similar to some of the BOCES offerings I remember growing up in NY. However there are some definite gaps. I have not found a small engines course anywhere near Harrisburg to substitute for the one I didn't take in high school, for example.

PA College of Technology in Williamsport could be another source of the offerings you describe - it's basically an enlarged community college or at least started out that way from what I understand. Their North Campus in Wellsboro I've heard is offering courses in how to become a gas drilling roughneck.

[Jane0218]

Thanks for the replies.

[ki0eh]

I wonder if you might get more useful response if you post a new thread with a title like "Adult vocational training in X field in Y area of PA" then some of the folks familiar with that area but not familiar with what "BOCES" is might reply with specific pointers. Just a thought...

[Jane0218]

Originally Posted by ki0eh

I wonder if you might get more useful response if you post a new thread with a title like "Adult vocational training in X field in Y area of PA" then some of the folks familiar with that area but not familiar with what "BOCES" is might reply with specific pointers. Just a thought...

Thanks--except I don't have a field I'm interested in--I'm "shopping around"............but I'll try your suggestion.