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Washington State College of Ohio has awarded seven students from three high schools the first credentials in the college's inCERT Yourself program.
The new InCERT Yourself program started the first of the year at the college and is aimed at helping students who may not have considered college as an option earn a credential that will make them more employable after graduation. Students come to campus one day a week to utilize Washington State's labs and equipment to get hands-on experience and training necessary to earn industry certification and have the opportunity to speak with local industry employers.
The first credentials were awarded to students in the industrial welding and maintenance program.
Jackson McGrath from Federal Hocking; Germain Christy, Trent Pettit, Jacob Richards, Evan Simons and Connor Tomlin from Trimble High School; and Ashden Stillion from Meadowbrook High School each received NIMS Maintenance Operations credentials.
Assistant Professor Chris Carpenter said the credential is the first of three they will earn this
semester, but called it an "important, big step."
By May, "each of these students will have evidence of training that sets them apart in the job market, if that's what they choose after graduation," he said. "These credentials also show the students they can be successful in the college classroom."
More than 60 high school juniors and seniors from 10 schools including Belpre, Caldwell, Federal Hocking, Fort Frye, Marietta, Meadowbrook, Shenandoah, Trimble and Warren are taking
classes in one of three programs at Washington State: cyber security, advanced manufacturing or industrial welding and maintenance.
Students earning marketable credentials is just the initial phase of the program, said Dan Leffingwell, dean of Business and Engineering and the guiding force behind inCERT Yourself. The college eventually wants students to also earn college credits, he said.
"The vision is to have the inCERT Yourself classes provide students with industry credentials and college credits," Leffingwell said. "Our goal is that they'll start their college path and then they have the opportunity to continue their degree here or continue into the job market. In the end, they will have succeeded at both college and job preparation."