Quick Facts

• Location: Uniontown, Ohio
• Address: 4401 Shriver Rd, Uniontown, OH 44685
• School Type: Public Career & Technical Education Center / Ohio Technical Center
• Programs Offered: HVAC, Welding, Automation & Electronics, Electrical Technology, Building Trades, Automotive Technology, Cosmetology, Healthcare, Culinary Arts, Digital Media and more
• Training Style: Hands-on labs, technical classroom instruction, industry credentials and work-based learning
• Tuition Range: High-school CTE is public education for eligible students; current adult industrial programs are $9,495 each
• Program Length: Adult HVAC, Welding and Automation & Electronics are 600 hours; high-school programs generally span the junior/senior CTE sequence
• Online Programs Available: No — PLCC specifically states its courses are in person
• Hybrid Learning: No for the core programs currently advertised
• Financial Aid: Pell Grants, Direct Loans, WIOA, BVR funding, payment plans and selected scholarships for qualifying adult students
• Class Options: High-school CTE plus full-time and part-time adult education; adult industrial programs currently run evenings
• Accreditation: Commission of the Council on Occupational Education (COE)
• State Recognition: Member of the University System of Ohio; designated Ohio Technical Center and Center for Training Excellence
• Average Rating: ⭐ 3.6 (68 Reviews)
• Website: Official website

Overview

Portage Lakes Career Center serves two distinct groups: high-school students from the Coventry, Green, Manchester and Springfield districts, and adults seeking short-term career training. The high-school side currently offers 17 career-technical programs, while Adult Education offers full-time career programs that can generally be completed in 10 months or less.

For TradeSchoolScout, PLCC is especially valuable because its adult division offers three strong industrial pathways—HVAC, Welding, and Automation & Electronics—with current 2026–27 tuition and schedules publicly available. The adult school is COE-accredited and participates in federal financial aid for qualifying full-time students.

Programs Offered

High-school programs currently include:

• Automotive Technology
• Automation & Electronics
• Building Trades
• Electrical Technology
• Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning
• Welding
• ManuWeld
• Cosmetology
• Culinary Arts
• Digital Media Technology
• Dental Assisting
• Medical Technician
• Pre-Nursing
• Sports Medicine
• Fire Academy
• Law & Criminal Justice
• Design, Communication & Marketing

Adult programs include healthcare and cosmetology fields as well as HVAC, Welding and Automation & Electronics.

Adult HVAC

PLCC’s adult HVAC program is 600 hours and focuses on installing, maintaining, diagnosing and repairing heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration systems.

The current 2026–27 schedule is:

• August 11, 2026–June 3, 2027
• Monday–Thursday
• 5:00–9:00 p.m.
• Tuition: $9,495

Program credentials currently include:

• ESCO Institute EPA Section 608 certification
• OSHA 10
• CPR

Adult Welding

The adult Welding program is also 600 hours and is designed for entry-level employment in welding and fabrication.

Current 2026–27 details:

• August 11, 2026–June 3, 2027
• Monday–Thursday
• 5:00–9:00 p.m.
• Tuition: $9,495

Credentials include AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code steel qualifications, OSHA 10 and CPR. PLCC also marks Welding as eligible for Ohio technical-credit opportunities toward an Associate of Technical Studies.

Automation & Electronics

This newer 600-hour program was developed with input from Ohio manufacturers and trains students to troubleshoot, repair and program industrial machinery.

Current training includes modern automation/electronics systems and credentials through the Smart Automation Certification Alliance.

Current 2026–27 schedule:

• August 11, 2026–June 3, 2027
• Monday–Thursday
• 5:00–9:00 p.m.
• Tuition: $9,495

Credentials currently include SACA Industry 4.0 certifications, OSHA 10 and CPR.

Tuition & Financial Aid

The three main adult industrial programs currently have unusually simple pricing:

PLCC says full-time programs of at least 600 hours qualify for financial-aid consideration. Available funding can include:

• Federal Pell Grants
• Federal Direct Loans
• WIOA assistance
• Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation funding
• Payment plans
• Employer assistance
• Selected PLCC scholarships

Alumni of PLCC’s four partner districts, veterans and certain PLCC employee family members can currently qualify for a $1,000 full-time enrollment scholarship.

Why Students Choose This School

• Public career-tech environment
• Adult trade programs under $10,000
• 600-hour HVAC, welding and automation programs
• Evening adult classes
• Federal financial aid eligibility
• Industry credentials included
• High-school students can earn college credit and certifications
• Work-based learning opportunities

Career Opportunities

Depending on the program, students may pursue entry-level roles such as:

• HVAC Service Technician
• HVAC Installer
• Welder/Fabricator
• Industrial Maintenance Technician
• Automation Technician
• Electronics Technician
• Electrician Apprentice
• Automotive Technician
• Construction Trades Worker

Some occupations require additional apprenticeship, licensing or employer-specific credentials.

Student Reviews

Based on your supplied listing data:

⭐ Average Rating: 3.6 (68 Reviews)

Because PLCC serves both teenagers and adult students across many programs, applicants should focus on recent feedback related specifically to the program they intend to enter.

Enrollment Tips

Adult applicants interested in HVAC, Welding or Automation & Electronics should act early because class sizes are limited to 20 students. The 2026–27 catalog listed an August 1 deadline for most full-time programs.

High-school applications normally begin during the sophomore year, with priority applications typically due around mid-December for the following school year.

Bottom Line

Portage Lakes Career Center is one of the stronger public trade-school options in Northeast Ohio because it serves both high-school CTE students and adult career changers. Its adult HVAC, Welding and Automation & Electronics programs each cost $9,495 for 600 hours in 2026–27, include useful industry credentials and qualify for federal financial-aid consideration.