The Career and Advanced Technology Center Offers the Right Teachers in the Right Setting for You

Linda Ali’s goal when she signed up for the Nurse Aide Training program at Community College of Philadelphia was to make her way in the medical field.

“This is meant to be my starting point in a journey to become a respiratory therapist,” Linda said.

Her classes at the College’s Career and Advanced Technology Center ran from April through July of this year. Being a mother of three, she knew she needed an option that worked with her busy schedule. Linda wasn’t the only one with scheduling concerns.

"A lot of us felt like a class wouldn't fit our busy adult schedules,” Linda said, “but the hours were manageable, and I noticed when signing up for the class that there were a variety of different time slots available throughout the year. The coursework never felt overwhelming or rushed, which made this class less stressful than I originally planned for it to be."

The CATC, which is celebrating its first anniversary this month, offers career training and degree programs for all types of schedules. Classes include health care, advanced manufacturing, transportation technologies and more. Since opening for classes in West Philadelphia in September 2022, more than 700 students across credit and noncredit programs have attended classes at the CATC.

The facility is designed to give students hands-on experience that will set them up for success in their careers.

"I love that everything is hands-on since I am a hands-on learner,” Linda said. “I truly did love the program and have been telling everyone I know about it."

Charles Curry also completed the Nursing Aide Training program in April of this year. He is currently working at Penn Medicine as a nursing assistant while taking classes at Community College of Philadelphia.

“My experience was great,” Charles said. “I had the best teacher, the schedule worked with my work schedule, it was only three times a week, and I learned so much.”

Both Charles and Linda said their instructor, Mrs. Lynn, made classes fun and a joy to attend.

“I hope to apply all the tools and knowledge I learned from Mrs. Lynn during our class sessions,” Charles said. “It was highly informative!”

“I wasn't really sure what to expect walking into the program,” Linda said. “It was better than I could have imagined. Mrs. Lynn is a very dedicated instructor, and it really made my experience a memorable one. She made sure we were all keeping up, even when a student was having a hard time understanding what was being taught."