Wallace State to Expand
Tech-Prep Program

Hanceville, Ala.-- June 29, 3008
Wallace State-Hanceville has received Alabama Department of Education approval to expand articulated credit offerings to high school students through the college’s Tech-Prep program. Wallace additionally recently received an $80,000 best practices grant from the Department to implement and market the new offerings.

Tech-Prep is a way for technically-oriented students to participate in dual enrollment, earning simultaneous high school and college credit. Students may earn credit toward a college technical major while still in high school without paying college tuition and fees. It is a federal education initiative of the Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act intended to help bridge the widening gap between the demands of the North Alabama region’s rapid economic growth and the availability of skilled workers.

The Tech-Prep programs combine academic courses that students will need in college, and technical courses they will need for a career. Wallace State offers courses in 15 technical programs. The articulated high school courses contain the same course content as an equivalent college course. Wallace State has agreed to award college credit if the student meets the grade requirements.

Students and their parents will also receive in-depth career guidance before they make a diploma choice at the end of the eighth grade. Around 5000 students in the Wallace State service area will be given career aptitude assessments, an explanation of the results and advice on their suitability for technical careers.

“Tech-Prep gives students an opportunity to further their education and gain training that will lead them to a high wage, high demand lifetime career,” said Dr. Philip Cleveland, Dean of Technical Programs at Wallace State. “This pathway allows them to explore careers, and really get to know what is involved without cost. Through tech-prep they can make sure what career they want to go into without risking their time and money on something unsuitable.”

This guidance will include Career Quest, offered as a two-day condensed career exploration during the school year or as a summer week-long in-depth exploration of high-wage, high-demand careers in the student’s local area. During the summer program, students will be informed of academic requirements, learn about punctuality, safety, teamwork and the importance of being drug free. They will spend time career shadowing in relevant industries and classrooms and will take a tour of local industries.

The Tech-Prep approach allows students and parents to select a sequence of academic and career-related courses beginning in the ninth grade and leading to an associate degree, certificate, license or bachelor’s degree. Students in grades 10 through 12 will be able to earn college credits for technical programs taken in high school to be applied to an aligned associate degree program. To earn the college credit, students must earn a grade of B (or 3.0 on a 4.0 scale) in the high school tech-prep course.

The enhanced Wallace State Tech-Prep program will serve Cullman County, Cullman City, Blount County, Oneonta City, Morgan County and Winston County school systems with statewide articulation agreements to provide seamless pathways between high school technical programs and technical programs in the Alabama Community College System without delays or duplication in learning. Students at other high schools in the state who are interested in the program may also be eligible.

Tech-Prep programs have a sequence of appropriate academic and technical courses. This includes at least two years of secondary level education linked to at least two years of college-level education.

For more information contact an advisor in the ACTION Center at Wallace State Community College or technical program instructors at 256/352-8000. Visit www.wallacestate.edu or www.alabamatechprep.org.

Tech-Prep programs available at Wallace State:

* Agricultural Production/Horticulture

* Automotive Manufacturing Technology

* Auto Body Repair

* Auto Mechanics

* Commercial Foods & Nutrition

* Commercial Sewing

* Cosmetology

* Cosmetology Instructor Training

* Nail Technology

* Diesel Mechanics

* Drafting and Design Technology

* Flight Technology

* Commercial Airplane

* Commercial Helicopter

* Electronics Technology

* Biomedical Equipment Technician

* Computer Repair

* Industrial Electronics

* Industrial Maintenance

* Telecommunications

* Heating & Air Conditioning

* Machine Tool Technology (Precision Machining)/Computer Numerical Control (CNC)

* Upholstery

* Welding