MERCER, Pa. – Mercer County Career Center senior Caelan Noblit grew up watching her mother cut, color and style people’s hair and knew that’s the career she wanted to pursue.

“I like doing hair,” Caelan said. “I think it’s fun, and I like how people feel [happy] after.”

She’s one of more than 80 students enrolled in MCCC’s cosmetology program, which has been growing for the past several years – so much that the school had to expand its cosmetology lab.

“We had 20 stations before,” said Anthony Miller, MCCC administrative director. “We increased to 44 different stations. And then we created a space in our old classroom that’s now kind of a spa area.”

The expansion allows more students to enroll in the program who otherwise may have chosen a different program or decided to stay in their home school.

“Data showed the need after several years of turning kids away,” Miller said. “We don’t want to be doing that, so we just worked with our board to make sure we carved out some space to do the renovation and to add more stations and instructors.”

The center hired a second cosmetology instructor. Each session includes about 40 students.

Angie Moneski, one of the instructors, views that positively.

“There’s definitely a need for it, and I think that’s wonderful, to be honest with you,” said Moneski, who has been teaching at MCCC for six years.

The program’s other teacher, Dianne Hill, is in her second year at the school. She started as an aide.

During the three-year program, students learn all aspects of working in the industry.

They learn “everything hair, skin and nails,” the instructor said. “So it’s everything from cutting to coloring to manicures, pedicures, like nail extensions, acrylics. As far as skin care goes, we do facials, waxing, makeup – all of that.”

The program requires 1,250 hours, after which students can take the state exam to earn a cosmetology license. Miller said the school’s passage rate is more than 90%.

MCCC has seen increased interest from students in all programs.

“It’s a good/bad problem to have,” Miller said. “Over the last several years, we’ve seen more students want to enter current tech ed programs. And as that has happened, we’re not getting everybody in, so we have to look at capacity, and this is one way to address that so we’re able to get more kids in.”

MCCC also added a sports medicine health care program this year in response to demand.

“So now, instead of just an allied health program that led more toward the nursing track, we’ve added Sports Med/ Rehabilitative Health so that we can address more of the health care demand that our region needs,” he said.

Interest and enrollment in career technical centers is increasing across the country, Miller said. He pointed to the cost of higher education and increases in pay and benefits for people who work in the trades as contributors.

“I think the academic model is wonderful,” Miller said. “It works for a lot of students, but kids flourish here in these hands-on, real-world opportunities. When we address mathematics, literacy, science skills – they’re doing it and it’s applicable to what they’re doing.”

After Caelan, the cosmetology senior, earns her license, she plans to work with her mother in her salon.

“She’s always wanted me to. … She’s happy about it,” she said.

Pictured at top: Angie Moneski, Caelan Noblit and Dianne Hill in the cosmetology lab at Mercer County Career Center.