MAYS LANDING, NJ [April 9, 2026] – The Atlantic County Institute of Technology (ACIT) drives workforce development and strengthens the region’s talent pipeline through its annual Advisory Board Day, a hands-on event that brings industry professionals directly into the classroom. Students present their projects, receive expert feedback, and engage in meaningful dialogue with leaders in their fields.
“Advisory Board Day shows how directly connecting students with industry professionals transforms learning,” said ACIT Superintendent Dr. Phil Guenther. “Students gain insight, build confidence, and explore career paths, while teachers find ways to sharpen their curriculum based on new industry practices. By bringing together students, educators, and industry leaders, Advisory Board Day drives innovation in our programs and ensures students graduate ready to succeed in today’s rapidly changing workforce.”
ACIT Engineering instructor Malika Green sees the impact of Advisory Board Day firsthand. “It’s incredible to watch students start as freshmen, develop their skills, and soon begin planning their professional futures,” she said. “Advisory Board Day gives these students the chance to learn directly from professionals—and former students like James Ritchie, who returned to speak with our engineering students and share his experience as a computer engineer at the Federal Aviation Administration, provide real-world insight and inspiration.”
James Ritchie, a 2012 graduate of ACIT’s Math, Engineering, and Science program, engaged with students during the event, demonstrating how hands-on, career-focused education at ACIT leads to meaningful, impactful careers.
Advisory Board Day also highlighted the growing demand for skilled trades professionals. Rick Marsh of Local 68 spoke with students about opportunities in HVAC, electrical, and mechanical fields, emphasizing the urgent need for workers.
“There is a labor shortage in the trades right now,” Marsh said. “My biggest advice is to be a sponge—take in everything you can.”
For ACIT alumni like Dylan Countouris, that advice has already proven valuable. A 2021 graduate of the plumbing program, Countouris now works with Spark Contractors and credits ACIT’s Work-Based Learning program for helping launch his career.
“Even if you don’t need every skill right away, you will use them at some point,” he said. “What you learn at ACIT stays with you, and Advisory Board Day is a great way for us alumni to prove that point to current students.”
Advisory Board Day gives students the chance to learn from professionals in their own programs and from advisory members across other trades, gaining insight into how different skills and concepts connect in real-world projects. George Samuelson, Training Director for Laborers Local 172 and an Advisory Board member since 2022, shared insight into apprenticeship opportunities in construction and skilled trades.
“Our program at Local 172 provides high school graduates with 4,000 hours of fieldwork and 400 hours of classroom instruction,” Samuelson explained. “Students step directly into careers building essential infrastructure like highways, bridges, and underground systems.”
As Samuelson engaged with students across trades, Bradley Conroy, a freshman in the welding program, shared his excitement: “It’s amazing to work on real-world projects. One day I want to be a welder for airplanes. ACIT allowed me to take and pass my first certification as a freshman, and I’m excited to see what’s next.”
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About Atlantic County Institute of Technology
For over five decades, the Atlantic County Institute of Technology has been preparing students with the academic and technical skills needed to successfully enter the world of work or continue their education at the college level. ACIT is the most comprehensive technical education facility in Atlantic County, and it is the school of choice for a diverse student body, offering 19 career and technical education programs from which to choose. In addition, 100’s of Atlantic County adult learners are enrolled in the Adult Education Program. Adult learners in the evening school participate in both full- and part-time technical programs.
For more information about ACIT, please visit www.acitech.org.
