Schnecksville, PA – Yesterday, Pennsylvania Department of Education Secretary Dr. Carrie Rowe visited the Lehigh Career and Technical Institute (LCTI) during CTE Month to showcase how the investments the Shapiro Administration has made in career and technical education (CTE) are preparing students at LCTI and career and technical centers (CTCs) across Pennsylvania for in-demand careers, bolstering the economy, and supporting businesses.
“Career and technical education isn’t just beneficial to our students, it’s beneficial to anyone who has supported a local business or individuals in their community,” said Dr. Rowe. “Whether it’s a local roofing company fixing a leak in your roof during a snowstorm, a local hair salon helping people feel their best for a big day, or a local mechanic taking care of your regular oil change, career and technical education is all around us. The Shapiro Administration is proud to continue supporting students and educators wherever their educational and professional pursuits take them, through postsecondary education, apprenticeships, the military, or directly into the workforce.”
Since taking office, Governor Josh Shapiro has increased CTE funding by $65 million - a nearly 50% increase in three years. Additionally, enrollment has increased in CTCs and CTE programs during the tenure of the Shapiro Administration, with more than 3,000 additional Pennsylvania students engaged in robust career readiness programming. In the past year alone, more than 32,000 secondary students, 2,700 postsecondary students, and 5,500 adult students earned industry credentials that will lead them to good-paying careers.
LCTI is one of the largest career and technical centers in the United States, serving more than 2,700 students across the Lehigh Valley. Covering 47 acres, LCTI offers more than 40 programs in areas like arts and humanities, business and communication technology, engineering and advanced manufacturing, health and human services, and industrial technology, as well as a wide range of academic classes in their Academic Center, which is designed to prepare students for success in college and their careers. The five-wing building includes state-of-the-art labs filled with cutting-edge technology.
During the 2024-25 budget cycle, LCTI received more than $736,000 in Competitive Equipment and Supplemental Equipment Grants. The 2024-25 grant funding supported the acquisition of high-impact, industry aligned equipment, including: expanding hands-on clinical training capacity for students in dental assisting and allied health programs; supporting EMS and healthcare pathway students in mastering critical emergency response skills aligned to industry standards; providing real-time cardiac monitoring, defibrillation training, and scenario-based simulation to strengthen patient care competencies; and advancing precision measurement training for students in advanced manufacturing and engineering technology programs. These investments, and continued investments, ensure students train on industry-standard equipment aligned to High Priority Occupations (HPOs), strengthening credential attainment and workforce readiness.
Students like Allentown School District Senior Makayla Acabeo directly benefit from these investments in programs like Dental Technology.
“This is exactly what you would see if you walked into a modern dental office," she explained. Acabeo said Dental teacher Eva Galus's instruction and advice prepared her for success at AI Orthodontics in Emmaus, where she recently wrapped up a cooperative education role.
"[Galus] knows how the real world is, so that's how she makes us work here. When it was time for me to go out there, I already knew what to do," said Acabeo, who plans to attend Temple University after graduation.
Anticipated investments for the 2025-26 year include equipment purchases that will support program modernization and expansion across multiple pathways, including: Automated Industrial Technology, Animal Science/Veterinary Technology, Diesel Technology, Pre-Engineering Technology, and additional programs as identified through labor market demand and industry advisory output.
Career and technical education at schools like LCTI expands far beyond the classroom. Governor Shapiro, along with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), recently announced a $3.5 billion private-sector investment from global pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly and Company to build a new manufacturing facility in Lehigh County that would create at least 850 new jobs – jobs that can be filled by students from local CTCs.
"Strong career and technical education opportunities are a crucial component in the Lehigh Valley's economic engine," said LCTI Executive Director Lisa Greenawalt. "For example, the 850 new jobs that Eli Lilly and Company is bringing to the region will be filled, in part, by students who trained at LCTI, LCCC and other regional schools."
Governor Shapiro believes that growing Pennsylvania’s economy and creating opportunity for future generations starts in the classroom. Under the Governor's leadership, Pennsylvania has increased funding for public education by almost $3 billion in just three years. This includes nearly $2 billion more for Basic Education Funding and dollars driven out to the schools that need them most through the Ready to Learn Block Grant, $190 million more for Special Education, and $52 million more for higher education. Additionally, Governor Shapiro has increased career and technical education (CTE) funding by $65 million - a nearly 50% increase since he took office.
The Governor’s 2026–27 budget proposal builds on these successes by increasing opportunity for students, supporting safe learning environments, and continuing to reform the way school districts pay cyber charter schools. Under the Governor’s plan, Basic Education Funding increases by $50 million, totaling $8.31 billion, while Special Education Funding grows by $50 million, totaling $1.58 billion to support students with disabilities and special needs. Funding supports after-school programs, full-day pre-K and kindergarten, evidence-based reading instruction, school libraries, social and health services, and professional development for educators.
The budget also continues funding universal free breakfast, menstrual hygiene products at no cost to students, school infrastructure repairs, and school safety and mental health supports. Over 800 schools have expanded mental health services, and more than 200 counselors have been hired since the Shapiro Administration began.