Area students displaced by ITT Technical Institute’s abrupt closure this week received a potential lifeline Thursday from Community College of Allegheny County, which announced a bid to help those students finish their education at CCAC.
The college will hold information sessions starting next week on its Allegheny campus and at its West Hills Center. Admissions staff will work with students to ascertain how their studies at ITT align with what CCAC offers, and how many credits earned at ITT can be transferred to CCAC starting this fall.
It’s hard to know how many Pittsburgh-area students were left short of an academic degree or workforce goal by ITT’s closure because proprietary schools need not publicly provide such data, said CCAC provost Stuart Blacklaw.
But ITT’s nationwide enrollment across 39 states, which the Carmel, Ind., company put at 45,000, provides some clues.
“We have a group of — I’m assuming — hundreds of students who are suddenly displaced from their educational goals,” Mr. Blacklaw said. “That’s the business we’re in — trying to help students meet those needs.”
Planned sessions at CCAC include:
• Allegheny campus, North Side, in the Foerster Student Services Center on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Sept. 20, from 6 to 8 p.m.
• Sessions in the West Hills Center in Oakdale this Tuesday, and also Sept. 21, and Oct. 4 — all from 6 to 8 p.m. in rooms S1308 and S1305.
The college said it sees several areas in which ITT courses may align with CCAC programs, Mr. Blacklaw said.
For instance, he said, ITT had a school of electronics technology, and CCAC has several programs related to electronics, including electrical construction technology, electrical distribution technology, electronic engineering technology and basic electronics. He also cited areas such as computer information technology, criminal justice, business and certain allied health programs “that potentially are good fits.”
On Tuesday, officials with for-profit ITT said it was closing its academic programs at its 130-plus nationwide locations, including those in Robinson and Frazer.
Mr. Blacklaw said former ITT students could be added to existing sections if seats are available, or if demand for a particular course is high enough, could be put into a new section. Tuition at CCAC for county residents is $107.75 per credit or a flat rate of $1,616 a semester for 12 to 18 credits.
CCAC said those looking for more information can contact admissions offices at the Allegheny Campus — 412-237-2511 — or North Campus, of which West Hills Center is a part — 412-369-3600.
Late Thursday, Penn Commercial Business and Technical School in Washington, Pa, said it too seeks students previously enrolled at ITT Technical Institute in Pittsburgh.
Bill Schackner: bschackner@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1977 and on Twitter: @BschacknerPG.
First Published: September 8, 2016, 5:47 p.m.
