ICTC HELPS STUDENTS ENHANCE CAREER OPTIONS

(January 16, 2009)...Looking for the job that you are going to enjoy for the rest of your life is a difficult task.  Being a teenager or a young adult in high school makes the task of finding a good paying job that you enjoy even more difficult. Many students seek employment at local restaurants, the fast-food industry, and grocery stores. But many of the Indiana County Technology Center (ICTC) students have already found good paying part-time jobs within the industries they are training for.  Those employed students at the ICTC agree that the education and training they have received thus far at the ICTC is already paying dividends by allowing them to find rewarding jobs even though they have not yet completed their studies.

Bobbie Jo Krouse, a senior at United High School and a student in the Health Occupations field, described some of the skills she developed at the ICTC that helped her to get her current job as a Nurse Assistant at Beacon Ridge Nursing Home. Bobbie Jo first became familiar with Beacon Ridge while participating in clinical experience as part of her Health Occupations training at the ICTC.  She believes that attending these clinical activities not only prepared her for this job, but also gave her practical insight into elder care.     

Mark Himes, a senior from Marion Center and a Welding Technology student, works part-time as a welder at an area manufacturing businesses. Mark believes he has a real advantage over other students who do not attend the ICTC because he is getting on-the-job experience. In addition to the advanced welding skills that he has developed, he has learned so much about the work environment and what employers expect from their employees. Mark is convinced this has made him a better welder and a better employee.

There are many more students who are getting experience in their specific work field while attending the ICTC. Welding Technology currently has eight students employed part-time in the Welding Industry. Students from Culinary Arts have been taking their skills to the working force as well. Five students are currently employed part-time in the food service industry. Health Occupations currently has four students working at area care providers.  Tori Varner, a junior Cosmetology student, is applying the skills that she learns at the ICTC by working at an area salon.

These students are not only working in their chosen career field, but many of them are making $2.00-$15.00 above minimum wage as a high school student and getting a jump start on their career.  When many of the ICTC students leave high school, they truly have a “competitive edge” over their peers.  At graduation, the ICTC students have completed a technical program that their peers would have to pay for if they decide to pursue it after graduation.  Many ICTC students graduate with industry recognized certifications that make them more valuable as an employee.

The ICTC students who choose to attend post secondary school are ahead of the game as well because they can take advantage of dual enrollment and articulation agreements between the ICTC and post secondary schools.  This means that students begin college with up to nine credits completed before they graduate high school. This saves students tuition money and allows them to complete their post-secondary studies earlier.  Also, because of the close ties that the ICTC has with business and industry partners, many employers and trade unions will seek out the ICTC students for jobs because these groups know the quality of our students and programs.

###