“One of the areas that our Bureau of Career and Tech education would like to expand is to expand more program study into area high schools,” Lena said.

“Right now we have wait lists in the career and tech centers. So by using whether the high school itself, like Williamsport, has taken on the program studies themselves, they can also partner with the career and tech, and they can use the career and tech and they can hire the teachers and just use the space, but it just opens the door and shows the students more opportunities. It just shows them the opportunities that exist that they may not realize exist,” she said.

By offering students at the high school level the opportunity to explore different career-focused programs, Lena said that it can offer choices they might have not considered.

“I think for so long-and that’s why I believe there’s a teacher shortage-is people don’t realize all that there is to do with teaching. It’s more than just standing up there in front of a bunch of kids,” she said.

Deputy Secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Amy Lena visits the welding program at Williamsport Area High School and talks welding instructor Jeremiah Martin recently. The deputy secretary toured some of the classrooms where technical programs are taught to the high school students. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“By showing students now and getting them excited about that profession, that’s the way we build the pipeline. Showing the students like that welding lab all that you can do, or that biotech, showing that there’s all these different careers you can go into. When people think of biology, they think, Oh, I have to be a doctor. No, you don’t. What about all the other areas,” she said.

Exposing children at younger ages also opens up opportunities for students to explore those career options.

“Pennsylvania was recently recognized for career exploration. We’re number one in the country for opening the eyes of middle schoolers. And we really believe at the state level that it really does start younger,” she said.

One of the areas Lena was able to tour was the Educator Rising program which puts students in classrooms at the lower grades for the student teacher experience.

“I heard that the middle school students are getting exposure to the Ed rising. All of that just builds excitement that builds our pipeline,” she added.

Deputy Secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Amy Lena visits the technical programs at Williamsport Area High School and talks with students Wednesday afternoon. The deputy secretary toured some of the classrooms where technical programs are taught to the high school students. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Lena, who had visited the here earlier this year, said that she felt the district “has really showcased and really helped students dig deep in education and truly experience it for real and be part of a community already.”

“I do think that is what we need moving forward. One of the reasons, I loved wherever I taught was the community, my fellow teachers-the support. So these students are already building a network, already building that support group right from the beginning. So they’re really lucky,” she added.

Deputy Secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Amy Lena walks with Williamsport Superintendent Tim Bowers as she visits the technical programs at Williamsport Area High School Wednesday afternoon. The deputy secretary toured some of the classrooms where technical programs are taught to the high school students. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette