60% of modern jobs require a 2-year degree: What it takes to fill this niche

Melissa Casper is on track to become a professional diesel girl.

The Waymart resident is beginning her senior year at Johnson college, where she is enrolled in the school's diesel truck technology program. She explains that she tried various jobs after her graduation from Forest City High School, including real estate sales, but always wound up a "bored" member of the northeastern Pemsylvania (NEPA) workforce.

"My grandfather and father were mechanics, and I have always liked tinkering with machines," says Casper "This educational major was a natural for me. I'm also working at Kenworth Truck, half of the time as a service advisor and the other half as a mechanic.

Melissa Ide, director of enrollment management at Johnson, says the technical college now serves 371 students who study for two-year degrees in 12 separate programs. The school will soon launch a new curriculum in HVAC Technology, which will he the third new program introduced since 2000.

"The other new curriculums we added are distribution and supply logistics technology and radiologic technology," says Ide. "Programs that are popular include electrical and construction maintenance, electronic technology that's offered in conjunction with Tobyhanna Army Depot and computer information technology."