High school students in Luzerne County can now get a skilled trade diploma for free at LCCC

WNEP-TV

Wednesday June 4, 2025

By: Valeria Quinones

NANTICOKE, Pa.-- Starting this fall, some students in Luzerne County will have the opportunity to graduate with a high school diploma on one hand and a college diploma on the other. *

"We're here today to celebrate the creation of the new Luzerne County Community College Career & Technology Academy," says John Yudichak, President of LCCC.

The academy is based at LCCC's campus in Nanticoke. The program offers students a 17-credit diploma for careers including welding, electrical technology, HVAC, plumbing, culinary arts, and early childhood education.

The first students in the two-year program will not pay anything thanks to grants from the state and scholarships funded by local business owner Bill Rinaldi.

"To me, the most important thing is for a young man is to get educated and have an opportunity. Opportunities at high-paying jobs are not common like they were," says Rinaldi.

"We recognize we need to build that skilled workforce here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Bill wanted to give back to the community. He wanted to give back to the college, and most importantly, he wanted to invest in the economy in Northeastern PA," says Yudichak.

Bill Feist owns the welding company J&E Sheet Metal in Wilkes-Barre. He's experienced a shortage of skilled workers in recent years and thinks this program will help fill the gap.

"I mean, without the skilled trades, without skilled employees, stuff like this, you can't have schools. You can't have buildings. You can't have hospitals. It's a high demand right now," says Feist.

While the Career and Technology Academy will initially focus on students from the Wilkes-Barre CTC, West Side CTC, and Hazleton CTC, Luzerne County Community College plans to expand the program to career centers throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania.