Twenty Tyrone Area High School Career and Technology (CTE) students recently completed the NOCTI (National Occupational Competency Testing Institute) exams. Of those 20 students, seven earned advanced ratings, nine received competent ratings, and four earned basic ratings. No Tyrone student taking the NOCTI this year received a below basic rating.

Students with an overall rating of advanced rating on the NOCTI receive a PA Skills Certificate and earn extra credit for the Tyrone Area High School on The Pennsylvania School Performance Profile (SPP).  The SPP provides a school-level academic score for public schools, including charter and cyber charter schools, and full-time comprehensive career and technical centers. Students with a competent rating and will receive a Certificate of Competency.

The written NOCTI exams take about three hours to complete. The week following the written exam, proctors from the industry conduct hands-on practicums.  These last anywhere from three to four hours.

Typically, students spend over 1,000 hours of learning time in their specialties.  Classes are taught by teachers with experience in the field, and students also may get part of their training through industry internships and apprenticeships.  Successful CTE students can graduate high school with certifications and contacts that can lead directly to employment.

CTE programs prepare students for jobs in today’s economy. In addition to traditional, but still in-demand trades, such as plumbing, welding, and agriculture, CTE programs now include such fields as health-related fields, computer systems networking, game design, and culinary arts.

CTE programs also prepare students for college.  All CTE students still take core academic coursework.  Studies show that CTE students graduate at higher rates than students not in CTE.  Most career areas require at least some post-secondary training at either one or two-year technology schools or four ear colleges and universities.

Tyrone Area High School students have the ability to enroll in CTE programs offered at the high school, or they can travel to the Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center for programs not offered in Tyrone.

Programs offered at Tyrone High School include agriculture, carpentry, accounting, and health occupations.

The following Tyrone High Schol students completed NOCTI tests in their designated areas:

Accounting: Brendan Grazier and Garrett Martin

Carpentry: Christopher Beck, Matthew Brooks, Corbin Lego, and Hunter Walk

Health Occupations: Taylor Black, Mara Focht, Sarah Hoover, Haven McKinley, Rachel Replogle, and Chesney Saltsgiver

Production Agriculture: Abraham Black, Elizabeth Buck, Karly Diebold, Lyndsey Fleck, Noah Frantz, Garin Hoy, Colin Jackson, and Brody Rizzo