CTE Jump Start program through WNC prepares students for graduation and beyond
Submitted by editor on Tue, 05/24/2016 - 9:39am
Jake Doll wasn’t sure what he was getting himself into when his guidance counselor at Dayton High School told him about the Career and Technical Education Jump Start Program in Advanced Manufacturing through Western Nevada College.
“I was told it was hands on and it sounded cool, so I gave it a try,” said Doll, who graduates from Dayton High Wednesday with 18 college credits already under his belt. “I ended up really enjoying it, I saved money by doing this in high school and I feel like I’m ahead of a lot of seniors heading into college.”
In addition to earning 18 college credits this year at WNC’s Advanced Manufacturing program for Jump Start students, Doll completed his Occupational Safety and Health Administration 10-hour safety certification and his National Career Readiness Certification.
On Monday in Carson City, 27 high school students graduated with associate degrees as part of the WNC Jump Start program. Among them, Natalie Delbecq. She was first-year 2014-15 Jump Start student from Dayton High School.
“There is a high demand for these career pathways in our state,” said Mike Raponi, the Nevada Department of Education CTE Director. “The goal of these programs is to prepare students to earn a postsecondary credential in less time and at a lower cost, and to meet a growing labor market demand for skilled workers.”
Doll is enrolled in WNC’s Automated Systems major of the Associate of Applied Science Technology degree, and he's also considering the General Industrial Technology major.
“With the Jump Start year under his belt, Jake is well positioned to make good decisions about the next phase of his technical training and education to set himself up for the future,” said Emily Howarth, Electronics and Industrial Technology Professor at WNC. “He's had hundreds of hours of hands-on practice time available in small class settings and has experienced a variety of behind-the-scenes activities at area employers, including the Tesla Gigafactory, through WNC's connections to business and industry.”
The program Doll participated in to earn dual credit is one of many options high school students have to “fast-track” to postsecondary credentials. The options include dual-credit programs, such as Jump Start, and a myriad of other options available to students through statewide articulation agreements between secondary and postsecondary career and technical education programs. The credentials high school students can earn demonstrate skill attainment at varying levels that include industry certifications, certificates of achievement, and associate degrees, all recognized by the Nevada System of Higher Education.
“Jake is a great example of how the program is supposed to work,” said Mark Lobsinger, WNC’s CTE College Credit Coordinator. “Here is a student who didn’t have much of a plan, and was given a pathway into college. He’s a hands-on guy who will take the technician pathway, which right now is in such high demand in the emerging job market. This is a perfect example of how Career and Technical Education can benefit students in our area. Jake now has the credentials and experience to seek employment, although he plans on finishing his Associate Degree here at WNC. Jake is now a mature young man, who sees the value in postsecondary education.”
As a result of the Jump-Start program, Doll could earn his Associate’s Degree in Automated Systems in one year.
— This story was written by the Nevada Department of Education with Carson Now contributing.
- Carson City
- benefit
- Business
- Career
- carson
- Certification
- City
- class
- college
- connections
- credit
- CTE
- Department of Education
- electronics
- Employers
- Employment
- Experience
- Graduation
- Hands on
- Hands-On
- Health
- High school students
- Higher Education
- Hours
- Industrial
- Industry
- Job
- Manufacturing
- Market
- money
- Nevada
- Nevada Department of Education
- News
- program
- Program:
- Programs
- Safety
- school
- science
- seniors
- Skill
- state
- students
- Technology
- Tesla
- training
- Wednesday
- western
- Western Nevada College
- WNC
- Workers
- Dayton
- Education
- high school
