The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry joined more than 550 autism-support students and educators from 16 Pennsylvania schools for the 2025 Autism Awareness & Acceptance Walk and Resource Fair held at the Department’s Hiram G. Andrews Center.
“At L&I, we’re not just raising awareness – we’re transforming lives by breaking down
barriers for Pennsylvanians with autism and other disabilities,” said Jill Moriconi,
Director of the Commonwealth Technical Institute at HGAC. “Through our work at
HGAC, we’re creating pathways to independence and meaningful careers where every
person is supported and celebrated.”
Established in 1959 and operated through OVR, HGAC specializes in providing barrier free education and job-readiness programs to people of all backgrounds and ability
levels, serving more than 1,300 individuals in 2024. The HGAC campus includes the
Commonwealth Technical Institute, an accredited postsecondary trade and
technical school specializing in education for individuals with disabilities.
CTI offers three associate degree programs that prepare students for work in medical offices, the culinary arts, and networking technology. CTI also offers five diploma programs for careers in automotive technology, culinary assistant, early childhood education, nurse
aide, and welding technology.
Annually, more than 50,000 individuals with disabilities receive services through the
vocational rehabilitation program and an additional 17,000 students with disabilities
utilize OVR’s pre-employment transition services that become available to Pennsylvania students with disabilities starting at age 14.
