There is a new program that will be piloted for Advanced Technologies Academy students enrolled in the CTS-115 Information Systems and Business Concepts this year.

What does this mean for students?  
Students will be taking a class that gives them college credit in addition to taking a nationally recognized certificate program created by Google. The Google IT Support Professional Certificate is set to be a nationally recognized certificate that will be recognized by employers all over the world. By completing the program, students will be better prepared to find employment in the field of IT support. If this is not a goal or path of a student, the certificate will still be an excellent resume builder for college or employment.  The skills learned will benefit them whether they enter the IT field or not.

How are students chosen?
CCC&TI has recently been working with a cohort of community colleges from several states to participate in this special pilot program.  The content in the Google IT Certificate Program mirrored a majority of the content in the CTS-115 courses that CCC&TI currently offered.  In addition, CASA students are top-notch! They will be open to participating and seeing the potential of the program.  

 What is the goal of the program?
The ultimate goal is to provide students with a quality education that prepares them to be successful in the world of work.  Having a nationally recognized credential in addition to receiving college credit for a course will increase the students’ value in the workplace.  

Will students have to do any additional work?
Course work will be supplemented using the Google IT Certificate program as a part of the normal curriculum that will be covered in class.  Since this is a pilot program it is not known exactly how far through the Google Certificate program students will get.  If the Google Certificate program is not completed, the student will not be penalized, however, students are expected to participate like they would with any other class.

 How much does this cost?
No additional fees or books are required.  The pilot program CCC&TI is a part of is paying for all costs associated with the Google Certificate.  The normal cost of the program would be approximately $250 per student.  

 What else should I know?
Since this is a pilot program, there may be some unknown circumstances that may pop up from time to time.  Students are encouraged provide feedback along the way to make this program better for future classes.  They have the opportunity to not only help themselves, but also others who may follow in their footsteps.  The instructor will be providing more details once class gets started.

Both CASA and CCC&TI are excited about this amazing opportunity.  If you or your child has any questions, please reach out to the instructor Mark Howell, mhowell@cccti.edu or call 828-726-2339.