Students $ave Thousand$
Tech Teams Take on IT
Responsibilities
Student Tech Teams are popping up around the country. Thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars are being saved annually by Certified Training Facilities forming their own school-to-work programs. These CTFs are utilizing the students and the skills taught in C-Tech's programs to perform necessary in-house work.
We've shared with you how the students at Atterbury Job Corps (see related story, vol. 12) have taken over IT responsibilities for the Center. At a recent online seminar, Anita Cardella, Center Director for South Bronx Job Corps, stated that in 2003 the center estimated that it had saved $30,000 by having students perform all of their on-center work. Students from the Philadelphia Youth Opportunity program and instructor José Sanchez are so busy applying their skills, the center is considering hiring another instructor. If you are interested in forming your own C-Tech Student Tech Team, please e-mail us at Tech.Team@c-techtraining.com. Here's what's going on at one of our CTFs in Houston.
Carver Magnet High School has initiated the comprehensive C-Tech Network Cabling program into their curriculum. The C-Tech program has allowed the students in Nick Caruso’s Cable Design class to experience real world situations in a classroom environment.
The C-Tech program has also allowed for the formation of a Student Tech Team, that is responsible for helping the School’s administration with computer installations, adds and changes, wiring data jacks and software upgrades. The student team always works under the supervision of Carver’s AP Mr. Ken Hodgkinson, Mr. Caruso or Mr. Ho, the school’s Tech. Specialist. The team is made up of juniors and seniors who have taken Mr. Caruso’s computer maintenance class. Last summer, Maurice Pitre, one of the team members, participated in an intern program at the University of Houston, where he put his C-Tech knowledge to good use.
Carver's Student Tech Program: top row [l-r] Jesse Koves, Ryan Wise, Chris Francis, Maurice Pitre, Robert Nunez, Marvin Benitez and Carver AP Mr. Ken Hodgkinson. Bottom row [l-r] Carver Tech Spec. Mr. Richie Ho and Mr. Nick Caruso, C-Tech Certified C-Tech Instructor.
Robert Nunez, a Carver Magnet student, expresses the sentiments of many of his classmates. “This course has shown us how to apply our C-Tech knowledge to real world scenarios. The resulting C-Tech Network Cabling Specialist Certification will be an accomplishment for the students and will open many employment opportunities.”
For example, John Wigonowski, a student from last year, is working for a local networking company that is rewiring The Woodlands Mall, a major mall in the north Houston area. Also, two other students have been offered a part-time position with Universal Computers of Houston.
