LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — Tucked in the Humbolt Industrial Park near Hazleton, you'll find Johnson College's first satellite campus, the Can Do Training Center.
"The shop has a lot of new equipment, my students are very excited. They are eager to learn and they are drinking it up as fast as I can give it to them," said welding instructor, James Schwartz.
The college based in Scranton, announced earlier this year its partnership with Can Do Inc, to expand the technical school into Luzerne County.
Now classes are now underway for the first semester at that campus with a goal to train the next wave of trade workers, while also filling jobs for area employers.
"There is such a huge demand especially in this area, we are in the heart of industry, and I like to say industry is our students campus. So we surveyed local industry and really made sure the programs that were offered matched what their needs are," said Johnson College President, Dr. Katie Leonard.
"A lot of the older generations are getting out of the trades right now, so it's a continuously expanding field, welding especially is in very high demand and it's going to continue to go up," said Schwartz.
The satellite campus offers programs in six fields including welding technology, property maintenance and industrial technology
Student Tucker Bowman from Tamaqua is going for electrical technology. He tells Newswatch 16, he's excited to pursue his career training without having to travel.
"I'd have to go to Scranton to go to Johnson and there are other schools in Allentown or Williamsport, but its real nice to be here in Hazleton," said Tucker Bowman.
The Can Do Training Center in Hazle Township also offers courses for people looking to get their CDL.