Now Enrolling Students in Forklift Operator Training Course

Johnson College’s Continuing Education program is offering a Forklift Operator Training Course on Saturday, February 6, 2021 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.in the Diesel Technology Center on the College’s campus in Scranton. The cost of the course is $200, but if you are a current Johnson College student or alumni the cost is only $100. Space is limited! Contact the Continuing Education team at 570-702-8979 or continuinged@johnson.edu to learn more and enroll.

The forklift operator training is designed to familiarize students with OSHA Powered Industrial Truck Operator Training Requirements (29CFR Standard 1910.178 and ASME B56.1), provide current training requirements under the newly adopted standards and to assist participants in becoming an authorized operator of forklifts through theory and tactile testing. 12 hours of instruction including pre-operational inspection, picking up, traveling and placing loads, parking procedures, refueling, and practical operation.

Johnson College’s Continuing Education Program distinguishes itself from the College’s 2-year degree programs and certificate courses by providing its adult students the opportunity to improve their skills to stay ahead of the competition, learn new technologies, and advance in their current career. The Continuing Education courses, many taught by industry professionals, are utilized and recognized by industry partners because they’re developed in partnership with industry. The program also includes pre-employment skills testing and exclusive online courses offering certification classes for essential industries. Johnson College also assists individual students and industry partners in obtaining funding or grants so their continuing education courses are cost effective. Johnson College trains the workforce of northeastern Pennsylvania by immersing continuing education, degree and certificate earning students into industry from day one. We Work, so our students succeed. For additional information on Johnson College’s Continuing Education Program, please call 570-702-8979, email continuinged@johnson.edu, or visit Johnson.edu/continuingeducation.

Johnson College to Offer Pre-Employment Transition Program

Johnson College, in conjunction with The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) and KANE Logistics will be offering a Pre-Employment Transition Service (Pre-ETS) Program to qualifying students attending local member school districts, starting August 2021. OVR is a state & federally funded agency that assists people with disabilities to prepare for, obtain, maintain or advance in employment.  OVR offers several Pre-ETS programs, including paid work experience transition opportunities for youth with disabilities, who have a post-secondary goal of employment. This gives students the opportunity to prepare for competitive employment. This program will prepare students to become entry-level warehouse associates, with a fundamental understanding of the supply chain. For more information about this program contact Dr. Kellyn Williams, Johnson College’s Chief Academic Officer at 570-702-8940 or knolan@johnson.edu.

Due to the pandemic, classes for this 6-month certificate program will be held online. If federal and state guidelines are updated, classes will be held on the Johnson College campus on Main Avenue in Scranton, PA and at KANE Logistics located in the Stauffer Industrial Park in Scranton, PA.

Students will gain an understanding of the physical and technological process, along with the safety considerations of warehouse/distribution operations. Additionally, students will learn about facility configuration, storage and handling techniques, picking and shipping processes, customer service expectations, and the overall role distribution operations plays in the supply chain. Students will earn college credit, an OSHA certification and a forklift certification. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible to be potentially hired by KANE Logistics.

More information about The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) can be found at https://www.dli.pa.gov/Individuals/Disability-Services/ovr/Pages/default.aspx.

More information about KANE Logistics can be found at https://www.kanelogistics.com/.

Now Enrolling Students in OBDII Emissions Training Class

Johnson College’s Continuing Education Program is currently enrolling students into its OBDII Emissions Training class. The class will be held in Weaver Hall on the Johnson College campus on Monday, Feb. 22 and Tuesday, Feb. 23 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and conclude with testing on Thursday, Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. Space is very limited to allow for social distancing. Face masks must be worn at all times while on campus. To learn more or enroll call 570-702-8979 or email continuinged@johnson.edu.

The OBDII computer monitors a vehicle’s emission control systems in real-time and is capable of informing a motorist or technician of a systemic issue the moment it occurs. The system operates through a series of indicator lights, drive cycles, trouble codes and readiness monitors. During an inspection, an emission analyzer scan tool plugs into the diagnostic connector that is attached to the OBDII computer and communicates with the vehicle. The OBDII computer relays to the scan tool whether it has discovered errors in the emission control systems. The emission analyzer then determines whether the vehicle is being operated in compliance with emission standards. For more information visit https://johnson.edu/continuing-education/odbii-emissions-licensing/.

The class fee of $180 is paid to Johnson College and a study material and testing fee of $39.99 is paid directly to the PA Training Portal.

Johnson College Receives $30,000 Through “It’s On Us PA” Grant

Johnson College was one of 42 Pennsylvania institutions of higher education awarded a grant through Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf’s “It’s On Us PA” initiative. The $30,000 grant will help Johnson College improve campus awareness regarding sexual violence among students, faculty and staff.

The funds will help create an updated curriculum module for all students on the College’s Desire2Learn learning management system. The College will review current institutional policies, processes and resources available for reporting sexual violence and serving the needs of potential victims with a Pennsylvania Title IX consultant who will make recommendations for improved compliance and reporting. The grant will also support updated training for the College’s Title IX coordinator and staff to be sure that Johnson College is following best practice operations for continued campus safety within a climate of proactive leadership

The College’s mission is to be proactive in making students, faculty and staff fully aware of the issue of sexual violence, how to report and what resources are available to assist those in need. Additional grant activities will include a campus-wide It’s On Us program event in the spring where students, faculty and staff will be encouraged to take the It’s On Us pledge against campus violence.

“Our goal is to maintain the excellent record of low to no incidents of sexual violence on our campus,” said Dr. Katie Leonard, Johnson College president & CEO. “Should the need arise, we want to be proactively prepared to comply with Pennsylvania law. The It’s On Us grant will help us accomplish these goals.”

The It’s On Us PA grant program was created to provide colleges and universities with support and resources necessary to shift campus culture and promote healthy relationships. The grant provides funding from January 2021 through May 2022 to implement strategies on campuses to address goals of the Governor’s It’s On Us PA campaign, which include:

  1. Improve awareness, prevention, reporting, and response systems regarding sexual violence in schools, colleges, and universities to better serve all students.
  2. Remove/reduce barriers that prevent survivors of sexual violence from reporting and/or accessing vital resources by creating a more consistent, empowering reporting process for student survivors of gender-based violence.
  3. Demonstrate significant, proactive, and sustainable leadership to change campus culture by challenging Pennsylvania’s education leaders – including college and university presidents, as well as students, teachers, faculty, staff, families, and communities to pledge to improve their institutions’ climate around sexual assault.

Since 2016, the Wolf Administration has awarded 150 It’s On Us PA grants totaling nearly $4 million to more than 70 post-secondary institutions, including public and private two-year and four-year colleges and universities.

From Headlights to Taillights: Skidding in a Winter Wonderland

By Mark Kozemko, Johnson College’s Automotive Technology Program Director

Original published in the December 25, 2020 edition of the Valley Advantage.

https://www.thevalleyadvantage.com/community-columns/from-headlights-to-taillights-skidding-in-a-winter-wonderland/article_cc41b629-9416-5d1a-8818-4bdcbe3ec407.html

So far we’ve been lucky in terms of snow fall and accumulation this year, but as we know, that can change in a heartbeat here in NEPA. The topics of snow and cold caused some to reach out about questions regarding their vehicle’s anti-lock brake and Traction Control systems.

What are anti-lock brakes?

The anti-lock brakes system — or ABS, as it’s referred to in the automotive industry — is a system that keeps your brakes on each wheel from locking up and causing a skidding condition. When wheels lock up and skid on the road surface, you have no control and cannot steer the vehicle away from possible obstacles.

How do anti-lock brakes work?

In our previous columns we mentioned how smart our vehicles are becoming. ABS makes them even smarter. Sensors in each wheel send a signal to an ABS control unit. These sensors tell the controller when a wheel is locking. The control unit then sends a signal to a solenoid that controls the hydraulic pressure to that wheel. The pressure is decreased and the wheel is allowed to keep spinning. This keeps traction on the road surface so you can safely steer the vehicle.

If your vehicle is equipped with ABS and you are driving in the snow, you don’t need to pump the brakes, but you will feel the brake pedal vibrate and you may hear some unfamiliar noises. Don’t let these vibrations or noises make you take your foot off the brake pedal. The vibrations and noises are letting you know the system is operating properly and doing its best to keep you in control of your vehicle. Taking your foot off the pedal will just deactivate the ABS system and decrease your ability to safely steer your vehicle.

What is traction control?

If your vehicle is equipped with ABS, chances are it’s also equipped with traction control. Traction control works just the opposite of ABS — it stops wheels from spinning and slipping. For instance, traction control senses that a wheel is spinning and the control unit increases hydraulic pressure to that specific wheel to stop it from spinning.

How does traction control work?

I’m sure you’ve seen videos of vehicles stuck in the snow and wheels spinning out of control and the vehicle not going anywhere. With traction control, the spinning wheel has a sensor that tells a control unit, “I’m spinning and can’t seem to stop!” The control unit sends a signal to that same solenoid I mentioned above, but this time, instead of reducing the hydraulic pressure, it increases the pressure to slow down the wheel. When this happens, the other wheels gain more traction and in most cases, will pull the vehicle out of a stuck situation.

Traction control also helps vehicles take corners better and make it around bends in the roadway without crossing the center line or having the rear of the vehicle trying to slide around the bend before the rest of the vehicle. In other words, it helps correct under-steer and over-steer.

What is correct under-steer and over-steer?

Let’s say, you’re traveling a bit too fast around a bend, and you go to turn the steering wheel but the vehicle continues to go straight. This is called under-steer. What’s happening is the front end does not follow your intended course. Sensors in the vehicle identify this problem and attempt to make corrections by braking certain wheels that will change the direction and help the vehicle make the bend. This specific under-steer situation usually occurs on front wheel drive vehicles.

If the rear of the vehicle slides across the center line, it’s called over-steer. Again, sensors in the vehicle will sense this situation and attempt to correct by braking the wheels necessary to get the vehicle around the bend safely.

Remember, ABS and traction control work together to help keep your vehicle and occupants safe. These options are standard equipment on just about all new and late model vehicles. Make sure you let them do their job and don’t let noises and vibrations make you let up on the brakes, especially now that the cold is here and snow is soon to follow.

PA State Vehicle Safety Inspection Course – March 1

Johnson College’s Continuing Education Program will be holding a Pennsylvania State Vehicle Safety Inspection course on campus March 1, 3, 8 & 10, 2021 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Space is limited. The total cost of the course is $200 for cars and light trucks. There is additional $75 fee for other vehicle categories. To learn more or to enroll, visit johnson.edu/continuingeducation or contact the Continuing Education Department at 570-702-8979 or continuinged@johnson.edu.

The Pennsylvania State Vehicle Safety Inspection course requirements include 12 classroom hours, a written test and a two-hour tactile test scheduled independently with the instructor. All must be completed before receiving certification from PennDOT. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis according to the date of payment. Class size is limited to 12 students so participants are encouraged to register early. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and have a valid operator’s license for each class of vehicle they intend to inspect. Classes will be held in the Automotive Center of the Weaver Building on the Johnson College campus.

Johnson College’s Continuing Education Program distinguishes itself from the College’s 2-year degree programs and certificate courses by providing its adult students the opportunity to improve their skills to stay ahead of the competition, learn new technologies, and advance in their current career. The Continuing Education courses, many taught by industry professionals, are utilized and recognized by industry partners because they’re developed in partnership with industry. The program also includes pre-employment skills testing and exclusive online courses offering certification classes for essential industries. Johnson College also assists individual students and industry partners in obtaining funding or grants so their continuing education courses are cost effective. Johnson College trains the workforce of northeastern Pennsylvania by immersing continuing education, degree and certificate earning students into industry from day one. We Work, so our students succeed. For additional information on Johnson College’s Continuing Education Program, please call 570-702-8979, email continuinged@johnson.edu, or visit Johnson.edu/continuingeducation.

Animal and Health Science Programs’ Accomplishments

Johnson College is proud share accomplishments achieved in the past academic year by its Health and Animal Science programs.

The Physical Therapist Assistant program was granted accreditation affirmation for ten years from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

The Veterinary Technology program’s 2020 graduates received a 100% pass rate on the Veterinary Technology National Exam (VTNE).  This score places the program’s three-year pass rate at 94%.

The Radiologic Technology program’s 2020 graduates received a pass rate of 95% on the American Registry of Radiologic Technologist Radiography Exam. Johnson College graduates surpassed the 2019 national pass rate average by 6%.  

“This past year our faculty and students faced many challenges, but they persevered by sharpening their skills to advance to new levels,” said Barb Byrne M.Ed., RT (R)(MR), Johnson College Associate Vice President of Faculty. “As these pass rate scores demonstrate, our graduates’ are well prepared as they enter the workforce of many of our region’s essential industries.”

Johnson College provides real-world, hands-on learning in a caring environment and prepares graduates to enter into or advance in their careers. Johnson College degrees become essential careers. Johnson College was founded in 1912, and is the region’s premier technical college, offering associate degrees in 15 programs and 3 academic certificates. An emphasis on hands-on instruction is supported by a low student-to-teacher ratio. Located in Scranton on a 44-acre campus, the College is an accredited, private, non-profit, co-educational institution with a strong tradition of working with regional business and industry to ensure a skilled and qualified workforce. For additional information on Johnson College, please call 1-800-2-WE-WORK, email enroll@johnson.edu, or visit Johnson.edu.

Scranton Donates Fire Engine to Johnson College

The city of Scranton recently donated a Sutphen Fire Engine to Johnson College. This donation will assist the College in providing its students the hands-on training they need to enter the region’s essential workforce.

Johnson College’s Diesel Truck Technology, Automotive Technology, and Heavy Equipment Technology students will be trained on every system of the truck, from the front bumper to the rear bumper. Student training will include engine and driveline, electrical and lighting, and basic preventative maintenance. They will also be trained on systems that are unique to firefighting vehicles including the water pumping system, water storage system, and emergency vehicle lighting and warning systems.

The faculty, staff and, most of all, the students at Johnson College thank the City of Scranton for this donation.

More information on the City of Scranton can be found at https://www.scrantonpa.gov/.

Tickets Available for Designer Purse Lottery Fundraiser

Tickets are now available for Johnson College’s first ever Designer Purse Lottery to benefit the College’s Annual Fund. Only 500 tickets will be sold for this February 2021 fundraiser presented by ShopRite. For more details about the designer purses and purchasing tickets visit Johnson.edu/purselottery or contact the Johnson College Development team at 570-702-8991.

Each $25 ticket will list two, 3 digit numbers. Throughout February 2021, if one of the numbers on a ticket comes in during the evening Pennsylvania Pick 3 lottery, that ticket’s owner will win the designer purse of the day. The numbers on the tickets are valid throughout February, so participants can possibly win more than once. Purses being raffled off include Coach, Fossil, Kate Spade, Michael Kors, and Tori Burch. To celebrate Valentine’s Day the designer purse of the night, sponsored by ShopRite, will be a Louis Vuitton Never Full Classic Bag worth $1,500.

All money raised will benefit the Johnson College Annual Fund. The Annual Fund assists Johnson College in producing the best technicians and technologists for the future essential workforce.