CHICAGO – April 12, 2017 – Last week, Members of Congress Robert A. Brady and Dwight Evans wrote a letter in support of the preservation of the Vending Technologies Program (VTP) at A. Philip Randolph Career Academy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The VTP program -- the only one of its kind in the country -- has been has been part of the school district’s curriculum since 1989, teaching students about the repair and maintenance of vending machines. Students who complete it are positioned to enter the workforce directly after graduation at a rate of pay much higher than minimum wage.

Currently, the VTP program is in jeopardy due to the elimination of its federal Classification of Instruction Programming (CIP) Code, necessary for all courses taught in secondary education. Congressmen Brady and Evans submitted a letter to the U.S. Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Department of Education in support of VTP. Their letter requests that the current protections of the program be extended until the CIP Code issue is resolved, to ensure the future preservation of VTP.

“I want to thank Congressmen Brady and Evans and their staff members for their support of this important program. Its existence helps advance the convenience services industry and provides opportunities for their constituents in the Philadelphia region,” said Bud Burke of RSA Management Group and Chairperson of the Occupational Advisory Committee, VTP. “VTP creates jobs and provides a unique opportunity for young people interested in entering the industry in this area of technical expertise,” he continued.

“This letter is a direct result of meetings held between the Congressional offices and VTP students during NAMA’s annual DC Fly-In. The students were able to participate in the Fly-In thanks to scholarships from the NAMA Foundation, Women of the Industry (WIN) and the Tri-State Council. We are grateful for the support of these elected officials, and look forward to obtaining a positive result for the program as a result of this Congressional action and will keep the industry updated,” he concluded.
To read the letter in full, click here.

As stated earlier, this is a direct result of participation in NAMA’s DC Fly-In. To participate in this year’s DC Fly-In you can register at namaflyin.org.