Career Institute of Technology Holds Summer Camp Signups

Parents are anxious to prepare youngsters for the future. Career choices are numerous, but young people need an introduction to various paths and opportunities.

That whole problem just got easier.

Northampton County's Career Institute of Technology (CIT) has announced summer camps for young people. Youth entering the fifth through ninth grades can attend a weeklong camp that will expose students to several career destinations. The camp runs June 20-24 from 8am to 3pm at the Forks Township campus at 5335 Kesslersville Road.

Attendance at the camp will introduce youngsters to five different programs. They will rotate each day to get exposure to varied career opportunities. Sessions include electronics and computer maintenance, culinary arts, health and emergency responder technology, automotive technology, and carpentry, building maintenance and landscaping.

"We make it fun and interesting," said Ronald Roth, director of CIT. "They work on actual equipment. For example, with electronics and computer maintenance, the young people will learn about the equipment, test components, troubleshoot problems and solder boards."

CIT has a huge kitchen for teaching its ongoing food preparation programs. This is where regular students learn how to turn raw ingredients into appetizing meals. 

"Students learn how to prepare quantity foods," said Roth. "That means preparing for 30 people, for example."

Students here learn the difference between quantity preparation and home cooking. On the first day of the camp, attendees will be preparing meals for everyone.

"In automotive technology, young people will get hands-on with changing tires," said Jackie Crouse, who is busy making the arrangements for as many as 60 camp attendees. But there's much more to get involved with in the automotive shop.

"They'll learn all about lifting a car on the lift, and they'll go through all the computerization [in automotive diagnostics]," she said.

Young people at the camp will get to play around with all sorts of equipment--like a real front-end loader. Imagine the impression on a 10-year-old at the controls of one of these machines, Crouse said.

One day is devoted to health-related technologies and programs. Regular students leave CIT ready to go right into the healthcare industry, or they might go on to college to become a nurse.

"All our programs are run by certified high school teachers," explained Roth. Participants in the summer camp will prepare items to take home, and lunch is furnished--prepared by camp attendees. Cost of the weeklong camp is $200.

For more information, call 610 258-2448 x 3304.