By Wendy Porter, ICT-DM Regional Director, Far North Region
Butte College is happy to announce the new Technology-Careers Exploration Summer Institute (TESI) this summer for high school students. The program includes IT Fundamentals training provided by a Butte College faculty member as well as on-the-job training with local employers. The goal is to provide high school students the opportunity to discover if they are interested in a career in technology and to increase connections between students, educators, and our tech employers. TESI is also a wonderful way to expose high school students to tech education provided by our North State Community Colleges.
This intensive 3-week summer education and job shadow program gives students exposure to computer careers in the local IT industry by rotating through different site visits with industry partners like Build.com, Lulus, Stratti, Ray Morgan, and Butte County IT. Students also develop professional workplace skills and familiarize themselves with tech professions.
Students will need to apply and interview which will help them with workforce readiness skills. They will also be required to complete homework, report on their job shadowing experiences and give a final presentation in front of parents, community members, and employers. College work experience credit is also available for participants.
TESI is modeled after the extremely successful HESI (Health-Career Exploration Summer Institute) which has been running for 5 years at multiple Far North Region Community Colleges. HESI has been featured in local publications, including the Enterprise-Record
“The HESI program provides an exceptional, real-life experience for high school students who are interested in pursuing a career in healthcare,” said Denise Adams, CTE Dean at Butte College. “Hearing from past participants about the incredible value the HESI program brought to their decision making about career choice supports the need for these types of work experience programs. I wholeheartedly support HESI and other sectors that are working to emulate this successful program.”
Trudy Old, Health Regional Director of Employer Engagement for the Far North Region, noticed that the HESI program gives students confidence to pursue a healthcare career. “It does my heart good to see the students’ presentations at the end of the HESI program,” she said. “They are more confident in themselves and their occupational goal. I hear their determination to go after the career they KNOW they want, after experiencing HESI.
TESI, following in HESI footsteps is anticipated to be highly successful, and the intention is to incorporate the program across the entire NFN Region. We are excited about the potential for this program to grow into more articulation and dual enrollment opportunities as well as better internship programs.
“We live in a rural area, as such many of our local high schools provide few, if any technology courses; yet technology and Information Technology careers are all around us,” said Linda Fischer, Butte College IT Instructor. “This is an amazing collaboration between Butte College, local industries, and high schools to provide insight into the various Information communication technology careers available. Our local industry leaders will have an opportunity to give back to the community and establish contacts with future prospective employees.”
TESI Student Learning Objectives:
- Observe and identify the roles and responsibilities, scope of practice, educational requirements, and personal characteristics associated with a career in specific information communication technologies (ICT) occupations
- Understand basic IT concepts and terminology and illustrate the basics of computing and explain the value of data and troubleshooting
- Know how to set up and install common peripheral devices to a laptop/PC or secure a basic wireless network
- Manage applications software, understand the various components of an operating system, and explain the purpose of methods of application architecture
- Comprehend programming language categories, interpret logic, and understand the purpose of programming concepts
- Be able to explain database concepts, structures, and purpose, as well as understands methods used to interface
- Understand confidentiality, integrity, and availability concerns of secure devices and best practice methods
- Analyze and expand current ability to apply critical thinking skills to common situations encountered in ICT workplace
- Reflect on experiences as it relates to their learning observation in practice
Download the flyer here. Please contact me at porterwe@butte.edu if you are interested in learning more.