Our History

“Since opening in 1946, Pittsburgh Technical Institute (PTI) has made the necessary changes to stay on the razor-sharp edge of training students in fields that meet industries’ needs. Sometimes growth has come student by student, sometimes by leaps and bounds, as PTI added entire programs, schools and divisions.”

From “Pittsburgh Legends and Visions, An Illustrated History”

PTI has forged a robust, 60-year educational history. Programs are designed to meet workplace needs and are introduced as new technologies drive industry standards.

PTI through the years …

  • 1946 - PTI opens its doors.
  • 1960s - Drafting program begins.
  • 1980s - Computer Aided Drafting is introduced.
  • 1990s - Graphic Design, Business Administration, Computer Programming, and Information Technology programs are added.
  • 1996 - Penn Technical Institute joins PTI and becomes the Electronics Engineering Technology division.
  • 1998 - Boyd School, formerly the Wilma Boyd School, joins PTI. Programs expand to include Travel and Tourism Administration and Hospitality Management Administration.
  • 1999 - Multimedia Technologies program begins.
  • 2000 - PTI opens North Fayette Campus and introduces the Marketing and Sales program.
  • 2001 - Accounting Administration program is added.
  • 2002 - Medical Office Administration program is offered.
  • 2003 - PTI opens its Center for Certification and Adult Learning to meet the needs of the busy adult with short-term, evening, certification, and on-line/on-site offerings.
  • 2003 - Medical Assisting, Safety and Security, and IT-Network Security and Computer Forensics degrees are introduced.
  • 2004 - PTI-Cranberry Center opens in the Regional Learning Alliance offering evening adult instruction.
  • 2005 - Surgical Technology degree is approved.
  • 2006 - Medical Assisting program receives accreditation from CAAHEP, the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

“But in six decades of change, success always has been measured by the same standards: the placement of each PTI graduate in his or her field and the performance of every PTI graduate on the job.”

From “Pittsburgh Legends and Visions, An Illustrated History”