There are different topics, different subjects. It's a different kind of learning. It's a different kind of teaching.

At the Brownstown campus of the Lancaster County Career and Technology Center (LCCTC), students are encouraged to explore fields they are interested in. That type of empowerment broadens horizons.

"I can walk through our school, and I can go from one world to another," said Justin Bruhn, principal at LCCTC-Brownstown. "It's really amazing what's under our roof. I like to walk into programs and say, 'What are you doing today?' It's just a great environment. There's enthusiasm. There's ambition. There are a lot of students finding their ways. Some are finding how they learn best."

Located at 231 Snyder Road, Ephrata, Brownstown is one of three LCCTC campuses supported by 16 Lancaster County public school districts. The Brownstown building houses 20 classrooms and adjoining laboratory workspaces, one for each of the LCCTC programs offered there.

"In order to have a forward-moving world, it's important to have educated citizens," said Bruhn. "That's what education does for students. It teaches them how to be learners. No matter what the profession, that's going to be something that stays with them for the rest of their lives. If you're going to last, you're going to keep learning. The public education system tries to reinforce that idea. Having curiosity and ambition is something we can encourage in our students. Every student has a different journey."

The Brownstown campus offers 12 LCCTC full-day programs designed mostly for seniors: cabinetmaking and wood technology, architectural CAD/design, electrical construction technology, heavy equipment operations and basic maintenance (HVAC/R), painting and interior finishes, plumbing, computer network and security, power sport technology, commercial art, digital design/print media, interactive media and web design, and photography and multimedia communications. The school also offers six half-day programs designed mainly for juniors: introduction to construction, introduction to culinary arts, introduction to health careers, introduction to manufacturing, introduction to transportation, and introduction to viscom.

"We are very outcome- and goal-oriented," said Bruhn. "We take pride in teaching our students very specific skills. They leave us knowing how to do things. The students are able to develop very real-world skills. I think that appeals to a lot of students. It's different than what they get at traditional high schools. They're skills that their peers couldn't normally do."

There are currently 475 students enrolled at LCCTC-Brownstown. They reside in all the communities of Lancaster County, and they hail from almost every local public school district, as well as some private schools.

"They're like any other student out there," Bruhn said. "We get the same variety as everyone. They all have different backgrounds and different abilities. They've latched on to and identified a career pathway, and they're getting more intense training."

"There's a perception that all of our students are going to seek employment right after high school," added Bruhn. "The reality is that they're headed in a ton of different directions. It varies from program to program. Some students have jobs lined up. Some pursue postsecondary educations. Some of it depends on the students and what their ambitions are."

The Brownstown campus of LCCTC employs about 60 individuals, 20 of whom work as program instructors.

"Our staff is incredible," said Bruhn. "Our staff came directly from their industries. They were experts before they came to us as teachers."

LCCTC was originally established in 1966 as Lancaster County Area Vocational-Technical School before changing to its current name in the late 1990s. The school built campuses in Brownstown, Mount Joy and Willow Street in the early 1970s.

"We (the three campuses) all have similar goals, and our students attend for similar reasons," said Bruhn. "What differentiates Brownstown is our programs are unique and not duplicated at the other campuses. I think each campus takes its identity from the programs offered at each place."

For additional information, go to http://www.lancasterctc.edu.