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More Than Just Numbers. 🩺

First-year Healthcare students are getting hands-on with two essentials of patient care, taking vitals and supporting oral hygiene.

From checking blood pressure to brushing teeth and cleaning dentures, they’re learning how everyday tasks play a big role in a patient’s comfort and well-being.
4 months ago, BCTC
Student in maroon scrubs uses a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff to check a classmate’s vitals in a healthcare lab setting.
Student in maroon scrubs checks a classmate’s blood pressure while supporting their arm at a bedside station.
Student in maroon scrubs examines a classmate’s head and face as part of a patient assessment in a classroom lab.
Student wearing gloves assists a classmate with oral care while the patient sits up in a hospital bed.
Student wearing gloves demonstrates denture cleaning on a medical mannequin in a healthcare classroom.
From the Studs to the Sink 🔧💧

Plumbing & Heating students are putting their skills to work from start to finish. From running supply lines and setting fixtures to making tight connections behind the scenes, every step matters—and they’re handling it.

Sinks, showers, toilets, water heaters… it all comes together here. And more importantly, so does the experience that prepares them for what the job actually looks like.
4 months ago, BCTC
Two students wearing safety glasses kneel beside a framed wall, working on plumbing connections near a floor drain.
Student working under a sink inside a framed structure, connecting drain and water supply lines.
Student installs a faucet and drain in a sink set into a countertop in a plumbing lab.
Three students wearing safety glasses stand in a framed shower area, installing plumbing fixtures on the wall.
Student lies on the floor connecting plumbing to the base of a toilet during installation.
Two students sit beneath a framed structure, working with blue PEX water lines and a power tool nearby.
Student in a workshop measures a section of pipe near water heaters and plumbing equipment.
Student uses a hand saw to cut a section of pipe while holding it steady on a workbench.
Honoring the Heart Behind the Work 💙 BCTC was proud to nominate Ms. Linda Keller for the Annie Sullivan Award.

This award recognizes individuals who go above and beyond to support students with disabilities, honoring those who lead with patience, compassion, and an unwavering belief in every student’s potential. Named after Helen Keller’s teacher and lifelong mentor, the Annie Sullivan Award represents the kind of quiet, steady impact that changes lives.

That impact is exactly what Ms. Keller brings to BCTC each day.

Through her care, encouragement, and dedication, she creates an environment where students feel supported, valued, and capable of more than they may have believed possible. Her nomination is a reflection of the difference she makes, not just in the classroom, but in the lives of the students she serves.
4 months ago, BCTC
Group photo of four adults standing together indoors. Ms. Linda Keller, second from the left, stands with three Berks Career and Technology Center administrators. All are smiling and facing the camera.
They punched their ticket to Nationals… now let’s help them get there! ✈️

BCTC’s SkillsUSA students are heading to Atlanta this June, and two upcoming fundraisers will help make the trip possible. Want to jump in and be part of it? Here are two ways to support and have a little fun along the way:

🎉 CASH BINGO
Join us this Friday at our East Campus for a night of bingo and big prizes.
Save your spot here: signupgenius.com/go/10C0A44AEAA2EAAF9C25-63104385-berksctc

🔥 SUMMER FUN RAFFLE
Enter for a chance to win a PitBoss Pellet Grill, 32 QT RTIC Cooler, and a $100 Omaha Steaks gift card.
Get your tickets here: go.rallyup.com/b49b88/Campaign/Details

Every ticket and every seat helps support our students as they represent BCTC on the national stage.

Participants must be 18 years of age or older.
4 months ago, BCTC
Colorful flyer for “Bingo Night” at BCTC East Campus on April 17, 2026. Doors open at 5:30 PM, games start at 6:00 PM. Event includes 10 games for $20 and 3 specialty games for $10. Cash only.
Illustrated flyer for a “Summer Cookout Raffle” featuring outdoor picnic scene. Prize includes a Pit Boss pellet grill, 32 QT RTIC cooler, and $100 Omaha Steaks gift card. QR code included for entry and note that only 250 tickets will be sold.
In the Frame. On Display. 📸

Advertising Art & Design Technology and Video & Media Content Production students are making their mark at the BCIU Secondary Art Show, with 45 photos from 37 students on display at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts.

Please join us in congratulating the following students for earning recognition:
Noah – Fast Lane Arts Selection
Yazmin – Fast Lane Arts Selection
Chase – 2nd place, Black and White Photography
Carter – 3rd place, Color Photography
Niah – Honorable Mention, Color Photography
Georgia – Honorable Mention, Color Photography
Noah – Graphic Design (photo featured in an AADT design)
Samantha – Graphic Design (photo featured in an AADT design)

Congratulations to our award winners, and to all of the students whose work is on display.
4 months ago, BCTC
Three students stand in front of a gallery wall filled with student photography and graphic design work at an art exhibit.
Wide view of a gallery display wall featuring dozens of student photographs and designs arranged in a grid.
Graphic design poster featuring a colorful energy drink can splashing with fruit, with text promoting low calorie and high flavor.
Black and white portrait of a person with dramatic lighting and a spiral pattern background, displayed in the exhibit.
Red graphic design poster showing a can of chips with stacked chips above it and bold text reading “Game On.”
Photograph with a red-toned blurred figure sitting on a bench, creating a motion effect.
Close-up photograph of tall grasses lit by warm sunlight, creating a soft, natural composition.
Angled view of a gallery corner displaying student photography and digital artwork mounted on white walls.
They showed up ready—and brought home the hardware. 🏅

BCTC students had an impressive showing at the SkillsUSA Pennsylvania Leadership and Skills Conference in Hershey, earning top finishes in some of the state’s toughest career and technical competitions.

Join us in congratulating our SkillsUSA standouts and read more about their success: berkscareer.com/article/2814056
4 months ago, BCTC
Two BCTC students in red SkillsUSA blazers sit in the audience at the awards ceremony, smiling and holding up their medals while surrounded by other student competitors.
A BCTC student in a red SkillsUSA blazer stands in the auditorium wearing a medal and smiling for a photo, with the awards crowd visible behind him.
A BCTC student in a red SkillsUSA blazer smiles while seated and holding her medal, with another student seated beside her at the ceremony.
Two BCTC students in red SkillsUSA blazers sit together at the ceremony holding up their medals and smiling for the camera.
Two BCTC students in red SkillsUSA blazers smile while holding up their medals during the awards ceremony.
Four BCTC students wearing tan SkillsUSA uniforms stand together at the awards ceremony, each wearing a medal, with the stage and audience visible behind them.
A group of BCTC students wearing red blazers and tan SkillsUSA uniforms stand together outside with their medals after the conference.
A group of BCTC students in red SkillsUSA blazers stand together outside after the conference, several wearing medals and smiling for a group photo.
A group of BCTC students in red SkillsUSA blazers stand together outside with medals after the conference, posing in front of a brick wall.
Five BCTC students in red SkillsUSA blazers stand together outside wearing medals and smiling after the conference.

Updated 4/10: The wait is almost over. Join us live as we cheer on our BCTC students during today’s SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference closing and awards ceremony.

Watch here: youtube.com/live/y25IVlsz0H0

Skills Tested. Nerves Activated. 👀

BCTC students showed up ready at today’s SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference, putting their training to the test and leaving it all on the floor.

Now that the competitions are complete, it’s time for the toughest part… the wait. The adrenaline fades, the “what ifs” kick in, and every moment feels a little longer.

No matter what the results say, we’re proud of how our students showed up, stayed focused, and represented BCTC. 👏

4 months ago, BCTC
Four SkillsUSA students in red blazers stand together smiling in a conference hallway with seating visible behind them.
Group of individuals in safety gear stand between two large haul trucks at an outdoor quarry site under a clear sky.
Student in safety glasses works on wiring components at a competition table with tools and equipment nearby.
Student wearing safety glasses reviews paperwork at a competition station with a Five Star Powersports sign in front.
Student in safety glasses carefully works on a small circuit board while referencing a technical drawing.
Student in a hard hat builds a concrete block structure during a masonry competition while others observe nearby.
Student wearing a hard hat uses tools to install electrical components inside a framed wall structure.
Student in a white lab coat organizes tools and supplies at a workstation during a healthcare-related competition.
Two students wearing safety glasses work together on wiring and equipment while looking at a laptop.
Student wearing detailed blue-and-white fantasy face paint and a white draped costume smiles at the camera inside a large workshop or competition space, with construction framing and other participants visible in the background.
Care That Counts (and Takes a Gentle Touch)

Health Occupations students are taking on one of healthcare’s more delicate responsibilities—catheter care. It may not be the most glamorous task, but it’s one that makes a real difference in patient comfort and well-being.

With a focus on safety, attention to detail, and respect, students are learning how to handle these situations with confidence and professionalism. It’s all about doing the small things right, especially when they matter most to the patient.

Not every lesson is flashy, but every skill plays a part in quality care.
5 months ago, BCTC
Student wearing gloves washes cloths in a basin with antimicrobial soap during a healthcare skills lab.
Two students in gloves practice catheter care on a medical mannequin leg in a simulated patient care setting.
Student adjusts linens on a hospital bed with a mannequin patient in a healthcare training lab.
Student in scrubs empties a catheter drainage bag into a container while kneeling beside a hospital bed.
Student smiles while making a hospital bed, lifting sheets in a healthcare classroom.
Student in scrubs prepares washcloths with soap at a bedside for patient care practice.
Two students in gloves perform catheter care on a mannequin in a simulated hospital setting.
Two students stand beside a mannequin patient in a hospital bed, adjusting linens during a care simulation.
Student in scrubs provides catheter care on a mannequin under a blanket in a healthcare training lab.
Moving dirt. Making it count. 🚧

Heavy Equipment Operations students are putting in work at the quarry—moving mounds, digging trenches, and completing survey work that keeps everything on track.

Out on site, they’re learning how to read the land, operate with control, and adjust in real time as conditions change.

It’s steady work with real expectations—and they’re building the kind of experience that lasts.
5 months ago, BCTC
Student in safety vest and hard hat holds a grade rod and survey equipment at a quarry site.
Student operates a compact excavator, digging a trench in a gravel quarry.
Student in safety gear measures the width of a trench using a tape measure in a quarry.
Two pieces of heavy equipment dig and move material across a quarry work area.
Excavator moves a load of gravel from the top of a mound at a quarry.
Student operates a skid steer while an instructor stands nearby observing at a quarry site.
Skid steer loader pushes gravel forward across uneven ground in a quarry.
Excavator loads gravel into a dump truck at a quarry while another worker stands nearby.
Bulldozer spreads and levels gravel across a work area in a quarry.
Two students in safety gear work on a skid steer, performing maintenance or inspection at a quarry.
Fresh off the machine and right on schedule 🚀 Computerized Machining Technology students are closing out the week by producing parts for this year’s NASA HUNCH project—and these aren’t just any parts. They’re machining jam wheels that will help secure handrails aboard the International Space Station.

Built with precision, purpose, and a whole lot of focus, this is work that goes from the shop floor to space. 🌎✨

As a reminder: BCTC will be closed to all students from April 1 through April 6. Sessions resume on April 7.
5 months ago, BCTC
Student uses a precision measuring tool to check a metal part inside a CNC machine, focusing closely on accuracy.
Students in a machining lab hold finished metal parts in front of a CNC machine, wearing safety glasses under an American flag.
Student holds a technical drawing of a machined part in a lab, with equipment and workstations visible behind.
Close-up of a student measuring a machined metal part with a dial caliper inside a CNC machine workspace.
Close-up of a finished metal jam wheel resting in a student’s hand, showing detailed ridges and center opening.
Student stands in a machining lab holding a finished metal part in their hand, with CNC equipment in the background.
Build It. Break It. Learn From It 🔨

Building Construction Occupations students took on the shop “shack,” building and refining each part of the structure. Then came demo day—breaking it all down to see how everything holds together and how it comes apart.

From first nail to final swing, a full-circle look at construction.
5 months ago, BCTC
Group of Building Construction Occupations students posing in front of a small framed and sided training structure inside a workshop.
Group of Building Construction Occupations students pose on and around the partially dismantled training structure in the shop.
Student wearing safety glasses uses a hammer to remove insulation from a framed wall during demolition inside the shop.
Several students stand on a raised platform removing wall framing from the training structure using hand tools.
Students inside a framed structure tear down drywall, exposing studs and wiring during a hands-on demolition activity.
Students use hammers and tools to remove siding and framing from the training structure inside the construction lab.
Students carry and sort wood debris outside the shop as part of dismantling the training structure.
Students work together removing wall panels and structural pieces from the training structure using ladders and hand tools.
Student steps down from the structure holding a hammer while others continue demolition and cleanup in the background.
When Designs Start Speaking for Themselves 👀

Drafting Design Technology students are turning their latest designs into prospective renderings that bring every detail into focus—from layout to lighting to the overall feel of a space.

As they build these skills, they’re learning how to present ideas the way professionals do—using visuals to communicate with clients, guide project decisions, and refine designs before moving forward.

It’s not just about creating something that looks good—it’s about learning how to show it, explain it, and make it work in the real world.
5 months ago, BCTC
Student seated at computer creating a multi-story building model in SketchUp in a drafting classroom.
Student at computer working on a 3D home rendering in SketchUp, with classmates working at nearby stations.
Student seated at workstation displaying a detailed 3D house rendering on a computer screen in drafting class.
Student at computer viewing a 3D interior design rendering with furniture and lighting elements on screen.
Student working at dual monitors, displaying a 3D home rendering with landscaping and driveway in SketchUp.
Where Little Moments Lead to Big Futures. 💛 For Lillian, those little moments—story time, helping hands, and everyday routines—are shaping something much bigger.

Through her co-op placement at St. Theresa of Calcutta Parish Child Care, Lillian works with children ranging from just six weeks to six years old, supporting everything from play-based learning to daily routines that help each child grow and feel confident.

Backed by BCTC’s Early Childhood Education program, she’s building real-world experience, learning patience, and discovering how meaningful those small, everyday interactions can be.

🔗 Read her full story: berkscareer.com/article/2788306
5 months ago, BCTC
Student smiles while standing beside a classroom bulletin board decorated with strawberry-themed student work and bear face crafts displayed in rows.
Bringing It Back to Life 🔧🏁

Some projects start with a problem—and end with an engine running like it should.

In Recreational & Power Equipment Technology, students are tuning, adjusting, and dialing in performance on a dirt bike, working through the details that make all the difference. It’s about understanding how everything connects, spotting what’s off, and making the right calls to get it back to full throttle.
5 months ago, BCTC
Six students stand around a blue dirt bike in a parking lot; one sits on the bike wearing a helmet while others pose nearby.
Two students kneel beside a blue dirt bike, using hand tools to adjust a component while looking up toward the camera.
Two students work on the engine of a blue dirt bike outdoors, focusing on wiring and components near the motor.
Two students kneel beside a dirt bike, using tools to adjust parts near the front of the engine in a parking lot setting.
Student crouches next to a blue dirt bike, using a tool to make adjustments near the engine under a cloudy sky.
Student sits on a blue dirt bike wearing a helmet, holding the handlebars while parked in a lot near school buildings.
Redrawing the Space, Rethinking the Flow 🏡 One layout. Endless possibilities.

Residential Painting & Interior Design students took an existing kitchen blueprint and gave it a fresh perspective—opening the floor plan to create a more natural connection between the kitchen, dining, and living areas.

It’s more than moving walls on paper. It’s thinking through how a space feels, how it functions, and how small changes can make a big impact.
5 months ago, BCTC
Two students sit at a classroom table using drafting tools to draw floor plan layouts on whiteboards while classmates work in the background.
Student smiles at a classroom table while working on a printed kitchen floor plan next to a laptop and design materials.
Student uses a ruler and protractor on a drafting board to create a floor plan design during a classroom activity.
Two students sit at a table with drafting boards and a printed floor plan, smiling toward the camera in a classroom setting.
From Classroom Concept to Conference Crowd 👕

Big things are coming out of Advertising Art & Design Technology! When BCTC’s PSEA Educational Support Professionals needed a t-shirt design for their summer state conference in Gettysburg, they turned to our students for ideas.

Challenge accepted.

Congratulations to Dakota, an Antietam student, whose design was selected and will be featured on nearly 200 shirts this summer. What started as a class project is now hitting the press and heading to Gettysburg.
5 months ago, BCTC
Student Dakota stands closest to a TV screen displaying a t-shirt design, presenting artwork selected for a statewide conference in Gettysburg.
Leveling Up Learning—One Laser at a Time 🚧

Heavy Equipment Operations students are getting their hands on industry-grade technology thanks to the generosity of Allen Myers! The program recently received a brand-new Spectra pipe laser—an essential tool used daily when installing underground utilities like sanitary and storm sewers.

This addition means students aren’t just learning the concepts—they’re training with the same equipment used out in the field, building skills that translate directly to the job site.

Real tools. Real experience. Real preparation.
5 months ago, BCTC
Group of Heavy Equipment Operations students wearing high-visibility vests and hard hats stand at a job site with construction equipment and trucks behind them under a cloudy sky.
Two men in high-visibility gear and hard hats kneel beside an open yellow case containing a Spectra pipe laser in front of an Allan Myers work truck.
❄️ Snow, strategy, and a future in the family business.

Dalton is taking what he’s learned in Business Management & Entrepreneurship and putting it to work in a big way—helping keep a mountain running at Spring Mountain Adventures. From behind-the-scenes planning to early morning snowcat training and keeping operations moving during major snowfalls, he’s getting a firsthand look at what it takes to run a business from the ground up.

It’s real experience, real responsibility, and a clear path forward—on and off the slopes.

🔗 Read the full story: berkscareer.com/article/2775811
5 months ago, BCTC
Student stands beside a red snowcat at a ski resort, smiling with the cab door open, showcasing hands-on learning in mountain operations.
🐟 Hooked on Culinary Skills

Culinary Arts students recently took on a skill every chef needs to know—fish filleting. With knives in hand, they learned how to break down whole fish and transform them into clean fillets ready for the pan.

It’s the kind of hands-on kitchen experience that helps students understand food preparation from start to finish—one careful cut at a time. 🍽️
5 months ago, BCTC
Culinary Arts instructor demonstrates how to fillet a salmon while students in chef uniforms gather around a prep table in the BCTC training kitchen.
Two Culinary Arts students carefully remove pin bones from salmon fillets using fish tweezers on a tray in the BCTC kitchen lab.
Culinary Arts student fillets a flatfish on a cutting board while working in the BCTC training kitchen.
Culinary Arts student in chef uniform smiles while preparing to fillet a flatfish on a cutting board in the BCTC kitchen lab.
Culinary Arts student fillets a fish on a cutting board during hands-on kitchen training at BCTC.
Culinary Arts student trims fish fillets on a cutting board while practicing seafood preparation skills in the BCTC kitchen.
Culinary Arts student fillets a flatfish on a cutting board, separating the fillet during a seafood preparation lesson in the BCTC kitchen.
🍀 A Little Luck in Every Cup!

Services Occupations students were serving up something special for St. Patrick’s Day! Festive drinks were on the menu, complete with fun flavors and a sprinkle of Lucky Charms on top.

It was a great way for students to get creative, practice their customer service skills, and add a little holiday cheer to the day. 🥤
5 months ago, BCTC
BCTC Services Occupations student wearing gloves and an apron holds a festive iced drink topped with whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, and Lucky Charms cereal.
BCTC Services Occupations student wearing a shamrock headband adds caramel drizzle to a St. Patrick’s Day themed iced drink topped with whipped cream.
BCTC Services Occupations student wearing gloves and an apron holds a festive iced drink topped with whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, and Lucky Charms cereal.