Career center offers open house, classroom exploration for interested students – Chicago Tribune

Washington Township Excessive College sophomore Sam Stokes was settled in on the Porter County Profession & Technical Training essential campus in Valparaiso to listen to what precision machining teacher Greg Carmack needed to say, flanked by his mother and father.

“He simply stated it’s a very good profession alternative,” Sam stated of the recommendation he acquired from his dad, John Stokes, who’s a machinist at Urschel Laboratories in Chesterton.

“I used to be making an attempt to inform him should you do effectively in class and also you do effectively right here, Dad’s firm may rent you,” John Stokes stated to Carmack. The household has been serving to Sam analysis future profession choices for the reason that Profession Middle held its first open home in December. Sam visited the diesel expertise info session at Portage Excessive College then.

Annually about 1,000 highschool college students from 10 Porter County public excessive colleges and Hobart Excessive College take courses by way of Porter County Profession & Technical Training that not solely assist them discover doable careers, however may even result in certifications at far much less price than can be incurred as soon as they go away highschool.

Potential college students and their mother and father visited the various vary of websites that host this system Thursday night to study program choices, price, scheduling and potential affect on their future profession selections. The courses are open to juniors and seniors, with a number of only for seniors, and are held in both morning or afternoon classes that enable the scholars to work round their core schedule at their dwelling excessive colleges.

Within the row behind the Stokeses sat the Gareches. Portage Excessive College senior Robert Garech is already in this system, however his mother and pa, Judith and Bob Garech, wished to see his class area. Robert made his mother a stunning brass bell that produces a lovely tinkling. She loves it.

“He’s considered one of our typical college students undecided of what that is all about,” Carmack stated. “Hopefully he’s having fun with it as a result of he’s actually good at it.”

Across the nook and down the corridor Valparaiso Excessive College sophomore Kimberley MacKenzie was listening in to the well being science presentation being given by teacher Lorna Marcus with the assistance of two of her present senior college students. The senior college students plan to turn out to be a nurse and doctor assistant and had been direct-admitted to the Purdue College and Valparaiso College nursing colleges, and the Valparaiso doctor assistant program, respectively.

MacKenzie, who needs to turn out to be a dermatologist, can also be again for her second open home.

“I went to cosmetology final time,” she stated. “I actually like studying about skincare and I battle with pimples and it’s attention-grabbing studying about it.”

Ought to she be accepted into Well being Science Training I and II she has the chance to earn her licensed nursing assistant and dementia care certifications. “Faculty is dear and any credit we will get them are a bonus,” Marcus stated.

Throughout the parking zone within the auto expertise classroom Morgan Township Excessive College senior Jason Grieger was serving to teacher Mark Furry welcome prospects. “They’re extra so occupied with engaged on economic system automobiles and with the ability to repair their very own automobiles,” stated Grieger, who’s himself planning a profession as a diesel mechanic. “A number of them had in widespread they don’t need to sit in a chair.”

Furry stated his college students go away with two years of automotive coaching with student-level ASC certification. “What that does is it helps the store proprietor and supervisor know they’re on their means,” Furry stated of the automotive area, that like so many others, is brief on certified staff. Furry’s college students may also earn certification for digital multimeter and SP2 security certification.

“When you have any kind of curiosity about turning into an auto mechanic it’s a terrific place to get your toes moist,” Furry stated. Like many of the different courses on the profession middle, auto Know-how has a nominal payment of $155 for the college 12 months, which incorporates the textbook, a piece shirt and security glasses.

Twin school credit are doable in all kinds of courses that are held at a number of totally different campuses all through Porter County, every specializing in a number of examine areas.

College students returning to the profession middle have till Jan. 31 to register for courses subsequent faculty 12 months, whereas new college students have till Feb. 3. Go to www.PCCTE.org for extra info.

Shelley Jones is a contract reporter for the Publish-Tribune.