The Indiana University of Pennsylvania Center for Vocational Personnel Preparation is one of three Professional Development Centers in Pennsylvania authorized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Career and Technical Education and Bureau of Teacher Certification to provide Cooperative education Certification Programs of study in Pennsylvania. The Center at IUP is charged with providing this program of study in twenty counties in the western region of the Commonwealth, with The Pennsylvania State University and Temple University providing the program in the central and eastern regions of the Commonwealth respectively. All Cooperative Education Certification in Pennsylvania is achieved through these three Professional Development Centers.

The certification program for cooperative education personnel differs significantly from other instructional certification programs in a number of ways. Most notably it varies in design, method of entry, and the culminating credential for initial preparation. The design of the program is competency based and the method of delivery is field based and distance learning. As such, the certification program is individualized for an incoming student’s presenting competencies. Center faculty members provide individualized instruction delivered to the candidate at a number of field based teaching sites.

Secondly, the program differs in method of entry. IUP is chartered by the PDE Bureau of Career and Technical Education and the Bureau of Teacher Education to deliver a Cooperative Education Certification Program in Western Pennsylvania. Candidates entering the program are either employed to teach or are seeking employment in approved cooperative education programs. The average age of entering candidates is 35 years. A majority of the candidates have a minimum of five years of industry experience and/or have higher education experiences. At the time of hiring, these individuals are referred to the IUP Center for Vocational Personnel Preparation for enrollment in appropriate coursework. Accordingly, during the initial semesters of enrollment, faculty provides career guidance to the candidates as they crystallize their career goals. An extensive support and mentoring system assists candidates in recognizing the expectations of professionals in cooperative education.