Educators and company representatives met on the campus of Butler Memorial Hospital Friday for the inaugural Butler County Education Summit, discussing many current issues in education, including the disconnect between technical training and high school learning.

The summit, sponsored by XTO Energy and partnered with the United Way of Butler County, featured speakers from Slippery Rock University, the Allegheny Conference of Community Development and the Pennsylvania State Education Association.

Participants came from school districts across the county, including Butler, South Butler, Karns City and Mars. Representatives from companies such as Alcoa and Catalyst Connection also were there.

A key point that resonated throughout the day was the disconnect, even a stigma, between high school learning and technical training. Many discussions honed in on making education and industry more seamless.

Natalie Corbin, a Knoch High School senior, personified a bridge between high school learning and technical training. While only 17, she has already graduated from the Butler County Vocational Technical School in the spring, has completed a Certified Production Technician class through Penn United Technologies over the summer and has been working at Penn United part time after school.

Corbin, an honor student, plans to attend Grove City College next fall to study mechanical engineering.

“Preparing students for real life is more beneficial than just preparing students for college,” she told summit participants. “I strived to succeed. I believe that the most successful students do take initiative.”

She said while she knows what she's going to be doing after she graduates, many of her peers aren't sure what they want to do. She suggested that maybe an introduction to vocational training as an option should be introduced earlier than sophomore or junior years of high school.

While some educators are eager to show students options in industry jobs, sometimes it's difficult to pursue with mandatory testing placed at such a priority. Educators and industry representatives met together at a breakout session to talk about the challenges of introducing industry in school.

“We're forced to choose between graduation and their passion” because of remediation classes that are required of students who don't pass Keystone exams the first time, said Dayle Ferguson, school board president for the Mars School District.

She said that sometimes students who might be interested in taking vocational classes may instead have to stay behind to learn more math so they can be retested.

“We work as hard as we can to meet those challenges,” said Dale Lumley, South Butler superintendent, agreeing with Ferguson about the difficulties of implementing new testing procedures.

But, Lumley added, “We know industry is important and we're not abandoning those things.”

Some educators said getting students college-ready isn't the only goal for schools anymore.

“It's not just a four-year path to college,” Lumley said. “We now know, with industry's influence, there are other paths.”

Knoch High School is among three Butler County schools partnering with Penn United Technologies to offer classes and training to high school students.

Beginning in January, Knoch High School students will have the opportunity to take hybrid classes through the Penn United Learning Center in Cabot.

Students will take online classes to learn about tools, and can practice them in person four times over the course of the semester at the Learning Center. There, students can learn how to use drill presses, band saws, milling machinery, lathes and computer numerical input controls.

Scott Covert, who oversees the Learning Center classes and teaches them, said the classes are a great way to tackle the skills gap the manufacturing field is facing.

“There are not enough qualified people to fill manufacturing positions that are vacant,” Covert said.

And he said the class might not only be beneficial for those looking to start a career in a technical field, but for those considering four-year schools, too.

Covert said they've started a similar, more hands-on program for Butler students this fall. They also plan to have a hybrid, online and in-person class at Moniteau High School next fall.

Another program that has students working with local companies is the “Adventures in Technology” program with Catalyst Connection. Mars High School students are paired with companies to work on various projects. Another program begins again in January.

The goal of the summit was to collect information from businesses and the community to help prepare young people to be successful in the work force. Leslie Osche, executive director of the United Way, said if young people become good employees, they use fewer social services, which reduces those costs to the community.

Because of the wealth of local employers here with in-demand jobs, Osche said, young people may not have to worry about relocating and being able to stay local.

Osche added community leaders need to look at education throughout the county because each school district has different issues that need to be addressed.

Also, she said local leaders need to talk with state lawmakers to let them know what the educational and business needs are in the county.