Antonio AventurinMinistry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Affairs is pleased to announce an educational partnership with Pittsburgh Technical Institute. This arrangement will bring students from the island country to PTI’s campus for program-specific postsecondary education at the associate degree and certificate levels beginning as early as the August 2016 at a reduced tuition rate.
This agreement will benefit mainly PSVE,PKL and CXC students from Academy, Sundial and MPC. The main objective is to promote studying in high priority technical vocational studies such as welding, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC), Graphic Design, Multi Media Technologies, Surgical Technician, Computer Programming, Information Technology,Electronics Engineering Technology etc.
In a ceremony held Monday, October 19, 2015, at the college’s campus in Oakdale, PA, Greg DeFeo, PTI President, signed the document to make the agreement official. 
The audience included Antonio Aventurin, Division Head Study Financing, Calvin Mardembrough, Senior Study Financing Policy Advisor, George Pry, Executive Vice President, PTI; Eileen Steffan, Vice President of Education, PTI; and Doug Cerminara, Director of National Recruitment, PTI.
“We like the size and the nurturing environment of Pittsburgh Technical Institute and are impressed with the classroom and lab facilities,” said Aventurin. “We feel this is a good fit for the needs of our students in St. Maarten. They will be comfortable, supported, and able to easily connect to the services and instructors critical to their success.”
Of special interest to the Ministry is the industry internship included in the final quarter of many of PTI’s programs.
“We perceive value in the internship work experience. This will be a benefit to our island’s industry when students return to the island at the conclusion of their college education,” Aventurin said. “And we are impressed with the student housing facilities we toured when we visited PTI’s campus.”
PTI’s President looks forward to welcoming the first group of St. Maarten students.
“This is an exciting time for our college. PTI is ideally positioned to deliver the skill sets and professional development that employers and industries need locally, regionally and internationally,” DeFeo said. “We believe we can help St. Maarten develop its human resources by providing hands-on, practical education.
“We are glad that PTI has been vetted and accepted by the Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports and look forward to educating students from St. Maarten so they can return to their island home, apply their newly acquired professional expertise, and assimilate into the workforce.”
In addition to promoting the welfare of all members of the society through education and the principle of equality through education, the Ministry is responsible for strengthening policies related to the continued improvement and of the quality and quantity of the human resources of St. Maarten. During their recent visit Aventurin and Mardembrough indicated the need for career education across a variety of the disciplines offered by PTI.
Pittsburgh Technical Institute is a two-year career college accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The college empowers students to succeed in today’s dynamic world by integrating general studies and professional skills into a sound career-focused education. Currently, nearly 2,000 full-time students are enrolled in more than 30 programs offered through PTI’s Schools of Business, Criminal Justice, Design, Energy and Electronics Technology, Healthcare, Hospitality and Culinary Arts, Information Technology, Nursing, and Trades Technology.
The college, which is conveniently located near Pittsburgh International Airport, is home to the American Academy of Culinary Arts at PTI and PTI Online. Resident halls on campus and student apartments near campus accommodate 750. For more information about Pittsburgh Technical Institute visit www.ptcollege.edu.
Officials from PTI will be on St.Maarten from December 9 through 12 visiting the various secondary schools.