Scranton, PA – April 21, 2020 — Dr. Katie Pittelli, President & CEO and Bill Burke, Vice President of Student and Academic Affairs announced Johnson College’s newest program, Heavy Equipment Technology at a virtual press conference held today.

The two-year associate degree program prepares students to enter the workforce as well-trained, mechanically minded, hard-working technicians with heavy equipment dealers and earth moving construction contractors. Graduates will possess the skills necessary to safely and correctly repair equipment used in the Heavy Equipment Industry. Instruction involves classroom theory, live shop demonstrations, and repair of heavy equipment currently used in industry. Making repairs on actual equipment is vital to skill development.

Employers seeking trained technicians include heavy equipment dealers, earth moving construction contractors, and mining and logging companies. Technicians will work in service shops and as field service technicians and will travel to the job sites to perform repairs.

The paramount part of this program is the experience that the students will receive in field at established facilities during their time at Johnson College. Five Star Equipment is the first lab partnership in the Heavy Equipment Technology program.

“Five Star Equipment is honored to be the first lab site for this program. We are just one example of the many companies throughout Northeastern PA that require skilled heavy equipment service technicians to properly support their customers,” said Patricia O’Brien, Five Star Equipment’s Director of Marketing. “The annual job growth for this position is five percent nationally, but projected to be nine percent in Pennsylvania, which translates to nearly 500 more jobs each year.”

Dr. Katie Pittelli, President & CEO is excited to share the news. She said, “Heavy Equipment Technology is another way that Johnson College has responded to filling a skills gap in our region. Because, as we know, not every open position requires a four-year degree. This is another way that we can provide essential workers to the essential businesses in our community.”

While there is no clear direction yet for how the Covid-19 pandemic will affect many industries like construction and transportation long-term, Dr. Pittelli noted that many companies that employ heavy equipment technicians like Five Star Equipment are designated as an essential business supporting customers who are also essential businesses. This designation should give confidence to adults of all ages who are looking for secure employment opportunities to consider heavy equipment technology as a career choice with a bright future.

Five Star Equipment is a John Deere Construction and Forestry equipment dealer serving 57 counties in PA and NY. Its corporate headquarters are located in Dunmore. For additional information about Five Star Equipment, visit: www.fivestarequipment.com

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 was founded in 1912, and is the region’s premier technical college, offering associate degrees in 14 programs. An emphasis on hands-on instruction is supported by a low student-to-teacher ratio. Located in Scranton on a 44-acre campus, Johnson 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 www.johnson.edu.

To watch a recording of the announcement, please click here.

For the first time ever, Johnson College is hosting a virtual open house series. During each week in April, a different division of study is highlighted in a webinar format. These webinars also feature information about financial aid, career services, how to apply, and a variety of other student services that are offer.

You can register for the remaining Virtual Open Houses by click here. Watch the recorded sessions by clicking the links below. For more information please reach out to our enrollment team at enroll@johnson.edu.

Electronic and Industrial – Tuesday, April 7th
– Advanced Manufacturing Technology
– Biomedical Equipment Technology
– Computer Information Technology
– Electronic Engineering Technology
– Welding Technology
Watch the recording of this Open House here.

Building Trades and Technology – Thursday, April 16th
– Architectural Drafting & Design Technology
– Building and Property Maintenance
– Carpentry and Cabinetmaking Technology
– Electrical Construction and Maintenance Technology
– Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technology
Watch the recording of this Open House here.

Transportation and Logistics – Tuesday, April 21st
– Automotive Technology
– Diesel Truck Technology
– Logistics and Supply Chain Management
Watch the recording of this Open House here.

Health and Animal Sciences – Wednesday, April 29th
– Physical Therapist Assistant
– Radiologic Technology
– Veterinary Technology
Watch the recording of the Open House here.

Johnson College has selected Paige Gebhardt Cognetti, Mayor of the City of Scranton to give their 2020 commencement address to graduates on Saturday, May 16th, 2020 at 10 A.M. at the Theater at North.

Mayor Cognetti is the newly-elected Mayor of the City of Scranton and the first female to hold the position.  She came from her role as Special Assistant to the Pennsylvania Auditor General, the chief fiscal watchdog of the commonwealth. She advised on financial management, governance and transparency. Her areas of focus included public school districts, care for older adults, criminal justice reform and student debt.

Mayor Cognetti previously served as a director on the Scranton School Board, overseeing a $160M budget and helping navigate the district’s dual crises of financial distress and public mistrust.

Before moving to Northeastern Pennsylvania, Mayor Cognetti lived in New York and worked as an investment advisor at Goldman Sachs, sourcing new assets and managing investment portfolios for private business. Prior to this private sector work, she served in the Obama administration from 2009-2012 as a senior advisor to the Under Secretary for International Affairs at the U.S. Treasury Department. She has been a fundraiser and project director on numerous democratic political campaigns. Mayor Cognetti holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Oregon Clark Honors College with a BA in English Literature and Romance Languages.

Mayor Cognetti is originally from Beaverton, Oregon. She lives in Scranton with her husband, Ryan, and their daughter, Sloane.

Scranton, PA – Johnson College announced that it has earned the 2020-2021 Military Friendly® Top Ten School designation.

Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,000 schools participated in the 2020-2021 survey with 695 earning the designation.

The 2020-­2021 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.

Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment, Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer) and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.

Jessica Farrell, the Director of Financial Aid and Certifying Veterans Official at Johnson College, said, “As the College’s certifying official, it’s my goal to make sure the process of using military benefits is streamlined and easy to understand. As the wife of a veteran I know first-hand the dedication and commitment these men and women have given to our Country and the last thing they should be worried about is how they are going to pay for their education.”

Military Friendly’s National Director Josh Rosen stated, “Our ability to apply a clear, consistent standard to colleges creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages colleges to invest in programs to provide educational outcomes that are better for the Military Community as a whole.”

For more information about Johnson College’s student veteran programs, visit Johnson College’s website at https://johnson.edu/future-students/veterans/.

About Military Friendly® Schools:

The Military Friendly® Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources for more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans, and responses to the proprietary, data­-driven Military Friendly® Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. The survey is administered for free and is open to all post­secondary schools that wish to participate.

Criteria for consideration can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com.

About Johnson College:

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 was founded in 1912, and is the region’s premier technical college, offering associate degrees in 14 programs. An emphasis on hands-on instruction is supported by a low student-to-teacher ratio. Located in Scranton on a 44-acre campus, Johnson 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 admit@johnson.edu, or visit www.johnson.edu

About Viqtory:

Founded in 2001, VIQTORY is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs® and Military Friendly® brands.  VIQTORY and its brands are not a part of or endorsed by the U.S. Dept of Defense or any federal government entity. Learn more about VIQTORY at www.viqtory.com.

For further information or to arrange interviews, contact:

Johnson College
Melissa CarestiaManager of Communicationsmcarestia@johnson.edu
570-702-8928

Military Friendly
Josh RosenMilitary Friendly National DirectorJosh.Rosen@militaryfriendly.com

Johnson College student organization, Social Force, collected over 100 presents for more than 50 children in the Scranton area. The students sponsored a giving tree in the Moffat Student Center with the names of local children in need. Students, faculty, staff and alumni donated gifts to fulfill the wishes of every child. The donations went to two North Scranton Head Start locations as well as families identified by students and alumni. Under the supervision of Ms. Emily Holmes, Counselor & Manager of Disability Services, the giving tree at Johnson College has provided local children with presents for the last fourteen years.

Johnson College is proud to announce that it has received a grant from The Robert H. Spitz Foundation, administered by the Scranton Area Community Foundation for $5,000. The grant money supports Johnson College’s Animal Care Center which serves the public to provide routine animal care. Specifically, the grant supports the center’s low income spay and neuter services.

The Johnson College Animal Care Center is a public animal clinic staffed by students, veterinary technicians, and a veterinarian from the veterinary technology program.

The low income spay and neuter program serves individuals who make less than $25,000 annually. With documentation, the services are administered at the clinic after an office visit deems the animal healthy enough for a surgical procedure.

Other veterinary services provided by the Animal Care Center include routine exams, dental care, and lab diagnostics. All visits and services are by appointment only. Please call 570-702-8961 to schedule.

The Robert H. Spitz Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports initiatives and programs serving the residents of Lackawanna County and Northeastern Pennsylvania. Robert H. Spitz was born in Scranton and was a 1955 graduate of Scranton Central High School and the University of Miami, Florida. Before retirement, Spitz had been employed by the U.S. Department of Labor and was also the owner of several local Arby’s restaurants. The Robert H. Spitz Foundation was established from his estate in 2015. To date, the Robert H. Spitz Foundation has provided over $1.3 million in funding to the community. For more information on the Robert H. Spitz Foundation, please contact the Scranton Area Community Foundation at 570-347-6203.

Johnson College is proud to announce that its Welding Technology Certificate will now be offered beginning in the spring semester, beginning in January 2020. Since 2012, Johnson College has offered the two semester, 30 credit certificate program. In previous years, the certificate was only offered in the fall semester which led to interested students having to wait to begin their coursework if they did not enroll by the summer.

The Welding Technology certificate course prepares students for entry-level work in the welding industry. Students learn about safety, hand tools, oxyacetylene torches, plasma arc, shielded metal arc welding (stick), gas metal arc welding (MIG), gas tungsten arc welding (TIG), flux cored arc welding, metallurgy, print reading, and weld symbols. This in-demand major at Johnson College starts a full cohort every year, and the College is proud of its placement rate of these students each year. The class of 2018 was 100% employed.

Bill Burke, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Services said, “Allowing students to enroll in our welding program in the spring semester is another way for us to get trained professionals out into the workforce faster.” According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for a trained welder is $41,380 annually and the state of Pennsylvania has the fourth highest employment of welders nationally.

“Industry is constantly reaching out to us for more and more trained welders, so we were able to find a way to fill an employer need and get more students into our classrooms,” said Burke. Top employers of certified Johnson College welders include Hendrick Manufacturing, Pleasant Mount Welding, Scranton Craftsman, Cheetah Chassis, Leeward Construction, Master Halco, and Standard Iron Works.

The spring semester at Johnson College begins on January 21, 2020, and interested students can apply through January 10, 2020. Interested students can apply at www.johnson.edu/apply or email the Enrollment Department at enroll@johnson.edu for more information. Financial assistance is available for those who qualify.