​Pennsylvania Academic, Career and Technical Training (PACTT) Alliance

The PACTT project is a statewide program that supports and assists community-based, residential programs, and probation offices that are providing academic, job skills training and work-related services.

Agencies — commonly referred to as “affiliates” — voluntarily work with the PACTT team, other affiliated agencies, and various stakeholders toward common goals contained in the Advancing Competency Development: A White Paper for Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania’s Juvenile Act. Among these youth-oriented goals are to help them to:

• Improve their chances of having a successful educational experience.
• Develop a set of study and learning skills and basic reading, writing, and math skills.
• Catch up and/or advance in school to the highest possible level of academic achievement.
• Develop workforce skills for getting a job, keeping a job, and achieving promotion.
• Support older youth in improving their chances of being economically self-sufficient after high school.
• Develop competencies that will enable youth to become responsible and productive members of the community.

From a program perspective, PACTT and affiliates work collaboratively to:

• Develop workforce programs that promote economic self-sufficiency, are grounded in principles of youth development, and connected to further education and long-term career opportunities. 
• Enhance programming; improve coordination with school districts; and promote practices aimed at accelerating remediation, credit recovery, and credit transfer.
• Develop career, technical training, and vocational programs that lead to industry-recognized certifications and certificates.
• Develop work readiness and employability soft skills programs.
• Create employment opportunities for system-involved youth.
• Develop and build upon existing resources that serve system-involved youth.

Support and guidance are provided to the PACTT project through an executive steering committee (ESC) comprised of key system stakeholders. The ESC includes representatives from the Department of Education, Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Department of Labor and Industry, Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission, Pennsylvania Council of Chief Juvenile Probation Officers, and the Pennsylvania Council of Children, Youth & Family Services.

To better support affiliates, PACTT staff are located across the state. This approach allows for regular contact with affiliates, an increased awareness of local resources and systems, and the ability for enhanced advocacy for affiliates and the youth they serve.