The Hiram G. Andrews Center is a comprehensive facility offering pre-employment transition services, rehabilitative, educational, vocational, life management, and counseling services, resulting in employment and independence. The Commonwealth Technical Institute is a postsecondary trade and technical school licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), located within the Hiram G. Andrews Center. The Commonwealth Technical Institute provides training to students, regardless of whether or not they are a person who happens to have a disability.

No formal entrance exam is required. Students entering a diploma or degree program must have a high school diploma or GED. Students who have passed the age of compulsory school attendance and can benefit from training received at the Commonwealth Technical Institute and the Hiram G. Andrews Center may enroll in continuing education.

Students have the opportunity to participate in a two to three-week vocational evaluation program at the Hiram G. Andrews Center. During this time, students live on-campus in the dorms and take many tests to determine their strongest skills, which can aid the potential student to determine the best career and training opportunities for them. They also have the opportunity to participate in situational work tryouts in classroom settings for training programs of their interest. Living on the HGAC campus during the evaluation period also gives the student a clear idea of what life at the Commonwealth Technical Institute and the Hiram G. Andrews Center would be like if they are accepted into training.

Students are most often admitted to their training program or prevocational training at the start of the term following an evaluation. Of course, this may vary depending on the program of choice and the number of students enrolled. If you are referred through OVR, your OVR counselor will review your training options with you so that you can make an informed decision regarding steps to take following your evaluation.

The receiving school decides whether or not to accept credits from the Commonwealth Technical Institute. Upon request, the Commonwealth Technical Institute can provide a transcript and course descriptions to the school of the student’s choice. Many community colleges and four-year colleges accept Commonwealth Technical Institute credits. Each case is individual, based on the receiving school’s policies.

Class size is approximately 15 students for lab classes and 20 for lecture classes.

Approximately 350 students attend the Commonwealth Technical Institute, about 50 of these as commuters.

Although single and double occupancy rooms are available, most students will share a dorm room with another student while they are here. The Commonwealth Technical Institute at the Hiram G. Andrews Center is tobacco free, with designated smoking areas provided outside the building. All dorm rooms are equipped with cable television and telephone lines. The student is responsible for contacting local service providers and paying the monthly fees, should subscription to these services be desired. Students are provided secure dormitory areas, only accessible to residents with key card access.

The Commonwealth Technical Institute at the Hiram G. Andrews Center has a limited number of private rooms. Students normally share a dorm room (although you can request a private room) unless their counselor or sponsor can justify why a single room is needed. Students with disabilities requiring a private room are given priority if they are under a doctor's orders and the physician supplies a letter stating that he or she needs a single room. Every room at the Commonwealth Technical Institute at the Hiram G. Andrews Center, whether single or double, has a bathroom connected to the room.

Students are welcome to bring a computer, tablet and/or device. Free wi-fi access is available throughout the building.

Due to fire regulations, items like hot plates, coffee pots, etc., are not permitted in the dorms. A dormitory-sized refrigerator is permitted to be brought by each student. Please limit the size of the refrigerator to that of a standard dormitory-sized refrigerator. Students who need to keep medication refrigerated can keep their prescriptions in the Wellness Center should they choose to not have an individual refrigerator. Each dorm lounge is equipped with a television and microwave oven available to all students. Personal televisions, gaming systems and stereos are permitted in dorm rooms. All dorm rooms are equipped with cable TV service. Students can subscribe to Johnstown's cable service provider for a monthly fee. A convenient payment box is located within the Hiram G. Andrews Center. Students may bring bicycles to the Hiram G. Andrews Center and store them in the Recreation Department, where they can be chained and locked.

Students residing at the Hiram G. Andrews Center are provided with three meals each day from the Dining Hall. A variety of items are available at meals, which are planned by a Registered Dietician and prepared by Commonwealth employees and students enrolled in the Culinary Arts curriculum.

Students requiring special meals due to health concerns will need to provide a physician's order and advanced notice to the vocational rehabilitation counselor prior to admission to the Hiram G. Andrews Center. The student will need to consult with the Clinical Dietician to plan their weekly menus. Due to the large number of meals the Dining Hall must provide on a daily basis, it is not possible to accommodate food preferences for reasons other than health. Options other than Dining Hall food do exist, however, such as the Hiram G. Andrews Center Courtyard Café snack shop, and the numerous restaurants and fast-food establishments in the area, most of which deliver to the Hiram G. Andrews Center. Additionally, food delivery services are readily available in the Greater Johnstown area.

No. Students are free to come and go as they please. Our students are expected to govern their own conduct and keep their own curfews. The Commonwealth Technical Institute at the Hiram G. Andrews Center has designated doors which are open at night for students coming in or going out, and security staff and dorm counselors are on duty 24-hours a day, 7-days a week to assist students and maintain their safety while at the Hiram G. Andrews Center. Students are strongly encouraged to secure alternate housing during term breaks when residential services are reduced.

The Hiram G. Andrews Center Wellness Center is open from 6:45a.m. to 10:45p.m. every day.

Every morning, students can report to "sick call" at the Wellness Center and see a physician, if required. Registered nurses are on-duty during the hours of operation to assist students who are ill or make transportation arrangements if a student needs to go to the outside medical facilities for treatment.

The Hiram G. Andrews Center is within minutes of Duke-LifePoint Conemaugh Health Systems. Transportation for students who do not require an ambulance is available via CamTran or, under certain circumstances, by Hiram G. Andrews Center staff.

Students have the option of purchasing their required medications through any local pharmacy, or they can choose to have their medications delivered to Hiram G. Andrews Center every afternoon, Monday through Friday. Most students have found this delivery service extremely helpful since it does not require them to travel to pick up their medications.

Term and holiday breaks at the Hiram G. Andrews Center occur regularly throughout the year, and all State-recognized holidays (11 in all) are a day off for students as well as employees. There is a minimum one-week break between three terms, each 16 weeks in length.

Term breaks follow this pattern:

Spring Break - one week at the end of April
Summer Break - one week at the end of August
Fall Break - Wednesday before Thanksgiving to the following Monday
Winter Break - two weeks over Christmas and New Years

The Commonwealth Technical Institute at the Hiram G. Andrews Center holds classes three terms a year, including the summer months. Each of our terms is 16 weeks in length. This shortens the length of time required to complete a training program, preparing you for a job sooner than if you took the summer off.

This is something all prospective students should consider when coming to the Hiram G. Andrews Center. If you do not have transportation, your Hiram G. Andrews Center counselor will work with you to explore transportation options, such as Greyhound or Amtrak.

Johnstown is fortunate to have extremely robust, accessible public transportation. CamTran is Cambria County's public transportation authority. CamTran has been a longtime partner with the Hiram G. Andrews Center to help make public transportation for our students easily accessible. All buses that stop at the Hiram G. Andrews Center (which has its own bus stop on premises) are wheelchair accessible. All CamTran drivers participate in programs about disability awareness. All students who are admitted to the Hiram G. Andrews Center are provided training in the use of CamTran transportation. The CamTran also offers a Reduced Transit Program, which allows students with disabilities to ride their buses at reduced fares during non-peak hours. The Hiram G. Andrews Center is also minutes away from the Greyhound bus station and the Amtrak train station. Taxi and ride sharing services are available to Johnstown and surrounding areas. The Cambria County Area Municipal Airport is also conveniently located in the Johnstown area.

Your job search begins at the Hiram G. Andrews Center. Through our Career Guidance Center, students have the opportunity to explore job opportunities with the assistance of the Hiram G. Andrews Center staff. A free lifetime resume service is also offered to all Commonwealth Technical Institute graduates. The Career Guidance Center will help match a student's skills and qualifications to any position openings we receive, as well as any job for which the student applies. The Hiram G. Andrews Center staff works to involve your referring agency in your placement during the final term of your education.​​

For our students with disabilities who qualify, tuition for his or her training program may be paid by the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. The Veterans Administration also recognizes the Commonwealth Technical Institute at the Hiram G. Andrews Center as a certified provider of post-secondary education services. In some instances, you may be required to complete a financial needs assessment to determine if a financial contribution is required by the sponsoring agency.

Students may also self-sponsor and pay the cost of tuition themselves. Payment arrangements are available through the Hiram G. Andrews Center Business Office. However, payment must be made in full prior to issuing a transcript, diploma or degree.

Completion of all financial aid forms for Pell and/or PHEAA is mandatory for eligible training programs. If you are unsure whether or not you would qualify for tuition assistance, please call our Financial Aid Office at 800-762-4211 ext 0569 or 814-254-0569.

The Commonwealth Technical Institute at the Hiram G. Andrews Center is approved to award Federal Work Study, Pell, PHEAA and FSEOG grants to students who qualify.

You can contact us at the Commonwealth Technical Institute at the Hiram G. Andrews Center by calling us toll-free at 800-762-4211, locally at 814-255-8200.

Yes, call 800-762-4211 ext 0582 or 814-254-0582 to arrange for tours, which are offered daily Monday through Friday.