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Central Texas
Technology Center
Schools, Careers, and
Opportunities Tabloid
NEW CENTRAL TEXAS TECHNOLOGY CENTER TO TRAIN
WORKFORCE OF FUTURE During the next twelve months a new higher education
facility will become a reality in New Braunfels. The new
Central Texas Technology Center (CTTC), will break
ground in April 2003 with plans to open for classes in
May 2004. "This is a long awaited educational opportunity for
students and adults alike in New Braunfels and Comal
County," says Michael Meek, President of the Greater New
Braunfels Chamber of Commerce, Inc. "It has been a team
effort of businesses, school officials, government
leaders, and community members making this project a
reality," Meek concludes. The idea for local post-secondary education came from
the Comprehensive Plan for New Braunfels that was
approved in 2000 by City Council. Three of the nine
major topics of the plan included the need for higher
education in the New Braunfels/Comal County area. The
Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce, Inc. took
this project on at the request of New Braunfels ISD
officials. Through the efforts of many people, the
Clarus Corporation from Nebraska performed a study. The
study confirmed that there was a need for a higher
education facility in this area. With commitments for funding by the Federal Government
and local economic development sales tax dollars from
New Braunfels and Seguin, the project moved forward. The
next challenge was to secure a curriculum provider.
After talking to many of the area colleges and
universities, the Alamo Community College District
accepted the challenge. ACCD will invest $1 million per
year to provide curriculum, equipment, staff, and
maintain the interior of the facility.
Curriculum planning has been a major goal. The CTTC will
have flexibility regarding the needs of students and
businesses; however, the primary focus will be to
provide a well-trained workforce. The 25,000-sq. ft.
facility will house three workshop labs where automotive
mechanics, welding technologies, and allied construction
trades will be taught. Computer technologies will be
offered in two large lab areas. Classroom space is
available for academic class offerings, as well as
distance learning opportunities. A double classroom is
designed for medical technologies that will include LVN
and RN training for nursing. Life science classes can be
offered in this lab area for those students pursuing an
academic degree. A student will be able to obtain an associate's
certification, certification or licensing in special
trades, or freshman and sophomore class hours toward a
bachelors degree. For more information about the Center
and how it can benefit your needs, contact The Greater
New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce, Inc. at 830-625-2385.
Career and Technology
In the Comal Independent School District There are 3,018 students taking sixty-three different
career and technology cources in the Comal Independant
School District. These courses are being offered in the
areas of agriculture, family and consumer science,
business, technology, and trades and industry. Skills
for living, industrial techology, career investigations,
and exploring agriculture are the career and techology
cources being offered in the three middle schools.
Starting in the eigth grade, students are encoruraged to
selet a career and technology career pathway from the
following: production agriculture; horticulture science;
agribusiness; agriculture enviroment studies;
agriculture mechanics; business careers; business
management/entrepreneur; construction careers;
welding/technology; engineering; meia/graphics; mill and
cabinet making; law enforcement; automotive technology;
family and consumer science; and health science
technology. The district also has tech-prep students
studying in the areas of business, agriculture, health
science, law enforcement, and family and consumer
science. These courses are articulated with the San
Antonio community colleges. Therefore, if studens taking
these courses attend San Antonio colleges after
graduation, they can receive up to twelve college hours
for the high school courses they have taken. The
district stresses career centers in grades K-12; Careers
awareness in grades K-4, career exploration in grades
5-6, career investigations in grades 7-8, and career
connections in grades 9-12. These career centers at both
Canyon and Smithson Valley High Schools. These career
centers are staffed and provide students with
information and materials on careers, colleges, tech
schools, scholarship, financial aide, and provide
research facilities for students. Anyone wanting
additional information about career and technology
programs in the Comal Independent School District may
contact Weslsy Odell, Career and Technology
coordinator, at (830)211-2077. It’s Your Future! Opportunities abound at New Braunfels High School for
students who enoll in career and technical education
classes. Courses are available in major occupational
arenas such as Agriculture, Automotive and Aerospace
Technology, Business and Marketing, Justice, Consumer
Science, Health Science Technology, Computer Aided Design,
and Manufacturing and Technology Systems. College credit hours through our Tech prep and Dual
Credit programs are available to students who enroll in
selective career and technology courses. Students can
earn college credit in accounting, business computer
information processing I & II, computer networking,
health science technology, and criminal justice. Tech
prep college credit is free and awarded to students once
they enroll in the participating college; dual credit
programs award college credit upon the completion of the
courses. Tech prep college partners include, Blinn
College, San Antonio College, St. Phillips College and
Coastal Bend College. Dual credit through St. Phillips College is available to
students enrolled in our Aerospace Academy, Information
Technology and Security Academy classes take courses
half of the day at the high school and are then
transported by school bus to and from college campus
where they complete their school day.
New Braunfels High School students also have
opportunities to earn a state or national certification
in one of the following: Microsoft Mous Certification
(through the business dept.) Law Enforcement
Telecommunicator Certification (through our Crinimal
Justice program), CNA (certified nurses assistant and/or
Pharmacy Techician Certification (through our Health
Science Technology Department). Many local businesses provide student internships and
on-the-job training opportunities for students enrolled
in career prep programs. Career prep gives students the
chance to learn first hand about a particular business
or industry. Leadership and entrepreneurship skills are strengthened
through participation in career and technology student
clubs. Future Farmers of America, Distributive
Educaitonal Clubs of America, Health Occupations
Students of America, Vocational Industrial Clubs of
America, Business Professionals of America are just a
few of the organizations which provide students
opportunities to participate in these challenging
events.
Career and Technology programs offer relevant
integration of both academic and life-long occupational
skills for each and every student! For more information
about opportunities in the NBISD call Debbie Fitsko at
(830)643-5700. The Community College-A Pathway to Success Success always has many faces. The definitions are as
varied and unigue as our fingerprints. Most success in
life is usually a collective effort a group of
like-minded people working together to help each other
realize hopes and dreams. A community college is just
such a place where success can be achieved. US
Department of Education research indicates that in the
next twenty-five years, the most important degree to
have is associate degree, not the traditional four-year
degree. The Community college is designed to serve a wide
variety of students. It is an excellent school to begin
a college education. A student can achieve any of the
following:1) Earn an Associate Degree; 2) Complete a
one-year certification (college credits); 4) Become a
Registered Nurse, 5) Learn job specific skills-computer
software programs, culinary arts, auto mechanics, etc.
or many other degree or non-degree programs. Entrance requirements for a community college,
generally, are not as strict as for a four-year school.
A student needs to have completed high school or a GED
program, taken the TASP test (or either of the approved
alternate TASP tests), completed an application for
admission and turned it in along with an official
transcript from the last school attended. General
processing time is five-seven working days. Many
community colleges also provide Internet registration.
As an example, all of the colleges of the Alamo
Community College District provide on-line registration
(www.accd.edu, then click on the school of your choice).
One question everyone has when talking about going to
college is, “How much does it cost?” Fifteen credit
hours at any ACCD college costs about $605, while the
same fifteen hours at a state-funded four-year school is
about $1,800. Projecting these figures for two years,
the example shows a savings of at least $5,000. Since
most of the courses will transfer to the four-year
college, financial aid in the form of grants, loans and
scholarships is available to students who qualify.
Students who qualify for federal financial aid may also
be eligible for the student work-study program. The
work-study program approved student works in an
on-campus office and receives an hourly pay rate.
Students may work up to twenty hours per week. Classes at a community college are both traditional and
not-traditional. Traditional is the usual M-W-F or Tu-Th
face-to-face classroom intersction. Non-traditional are
the classes taught at night, on television (video
courses), and via the Internet. These classes cost the
same, receive the same credit hours, and are
transferable to four-year colleges. A student can take
any combination of these courses. This flexibiliy gives
our students power to juggle and manage many schedules
to complete their education.
We invite you to strongly consider the community college
the other college. Many well-known business and
community leaders began their path to success through a
community college. Community college may just be your
path to success. Come join us! Alamo Workforce Devlopment, Inc Available Services Finding the right job can be hard
work, but the Texas Workforce Center can make your
search easier. The Texas Workforce Centers in the Alamo
Area provide job seekers with access to an array of
programs and services, all designed to help put you in
the job.
The following services are available to you at no cost:
- Current job listings and referrals to companies
- Access to computerized job banks
- Workshops on resume writing, interviewing techniques and
strategies for conducting a successful job search
- Interest and aptitude testing
- Information on financial aid opportunities
- Career and labor market information - what jobs are hot,
job trends, wage information, job requirements and more
- Self-service resource rooms providing computers with
Internet access, resume writing software, job search and
career materials, telephones, copiers, printers, fax
machines and more
Information and referral to community resource partners
for services such as childcare, transportation, housing
assistance, etc. 2002 Hot Jobs as listed by Alamo Workforce Development,
Inc.
- Automotive Mechanics/Service Technician
- Plumber/Pipefitter
- Heating/AC Refrigeration Mechanic
- Registered Nurse
- Licensed Practial/Vocational Nurse
- Teachers(Secondary
School)
- Medical/Clinical Lab Technician
- Telephone/Cable
Installer/Repair
- Nurses Aide/Orderly/Attendant
- Truck Driver
Emerging Occupations:
- Biomedical Engineer Technician
- Computer Security Specialist
- Optics Technician
- Computer Support Technician
Visit the following for more information:
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