Adult Programs

2025 – 2026 Graduation Photos

Huge congratulations to our Post-Secondary grads! You built the advanced skills, earned the credentials, and now you’re ready to advance your career. We are so proud of your achievement! We are excited to share that the official photos from the celebration are now available. Head over to the gallery from Two Twenty Studios to view the highlights, download your favorites, and celebrate our amazing graduates! You can purchase photos from Two Twenty Studios by clicking the green BUY PHOTOS box or you can download them for free using the Download Icon . View/Purchase Photos

Healthcare Career Fair Connects Students and Alumni with More Than 30 Employers

The GACTC hosted a Healthcare Career Fair on June 18, bringing together students and alumni from the Practical Nursing, Medical Assistant, and Phlebotomy programs with more than 30 healthcare employers from the region. The event provided an opportunity for students and graduates to explore career opportunities, connect with potential employers, learn more about available positions, and build professional relationships within the healthcare industry. Employers represented a variety of healthcare organizations and services, offering insight into the many career pathways available to GACTC graduates. “Connecting our students and alumni with employers is an important part of preparing them for successful healthcare [...]

GACTC Celebrates 2026 Graduates from the Postsecondary Diploma Programs

https://youtu.be/wdRQDFSCGV0   On June 11, 2026, the Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center celebrated the incredible accomplishments of over 60 adult students who successfully completed their postsecondary career-training diploma programs. Family, friends, faculty, and administration gathered at the Altoona Area High School auditorium to honor the hard work, late nights, and dedication these graduates put into mastering their trades. Mrs. Nicole Zernick, Executive Director, and Mrs. Julie Patosky, Continuing Education Coordinator, provided congratulatory remarks to the graduates. Several graduates shared messages to the graduates and attendees, including: Carri Burkett, HVAC program Brock Holderbaum, Medical Assistant program KaiLeigh Peters, Dental Assistant [...]

Practical Nursing Student Receives Awards

Hannah Imler, student in the Practical Nursing program at the GACTC is the recipient of a scholarship from the Pennsylvania Association of Practical Nursing Administrators (PAPNA). Biannually, PAPNA awards three scholarships across Pennsylvania to the most qualified practical nursing students.  Requirements for consideration of the financial scholarship include high academic standing in a practical nursing program, an essay, and recommendation from a practical nursing program coordinator. Ms. Imler is the third recipient of this prestigious PAPNA scholarship from the GACTC Practical Nursing program since 2022. “I am so proud of Hannah! She has worked hard throughout the program while always maintaining [...]

GACTC Practical Nursing Program Graduates Achieve 100% Licensure Pass Rate for Second Consecutive Year

The GACTC Practical Nursing program is proud to announce a 100% pass rate for the 2024-2025 reporting period for the national licensure exam (NCLEX-PN), completed by program graduates.  Graduates that successfully passed the practical nursing licensure exam during the most recent reporting period did so on their first attempt, consistent with the pass rate of the 2024 graduating class! This marks the second consecutive year the program has achieved a perfect pass rate, following the 100% pass rate of the prior year’s graduating class. “Achieving a 100% pass rate two years in a row is an outstanding accomplishment,” said Julie Patosky, [...]

Graduate Receives Prestigious Maxine Williams Scholarship

The GACTC is proud to announce that DorieSue Walker, a recent graduate of the Medical Assistant Diploma program, has been awarded the Maxine Williams Scholarship, a national honor recognizing outstanding medical assisting students. The Maxine Williams Scholarship Fund, established in 1959, provides educational assistance to deserving students pursuing careers in medical assisting. The fund is named after Maxine Williams, a founder of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) and its first president. Supported entirely by private contributions, the scholarship continues to celebrate excellence in education, dedication to the profession, and a commitment to patient care. Throughout her time in the [...]

Celebrating the 2025 Practical Nursing Graduates

View All Photos The GACTC graduated 30 students from the full-time Practical Nursing program on August 14, 2025. Graduation activities included a pinning ceremony on August 12th and commencement, held on August 14th, at the Altoona Area High School. The “pinning ceremony,” a symbolic welcoming of new nurses into the profession, can be dated as far back as the 12th century, and became standard in the United States by 1916. During the ceremony, students are pinned by nursing faculty. The commencement ceremony on August 14th honored the practical nursing students through conferral of diplomas, awards, and honors. The evening [...]

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