Washington State Community College expands InCERT Academy

Washington State Community College successfully ran a pilot program for its InCERT Academy at the beginning of the year, leading to the program being launched in full, with more program offerings for participants. InCERT Academy gives local high schoolers the opportunity to earn industry credentials while also earning high school credits, positioning them well to move into the workforce after high school, or continue on with a college education.

According to an article on Washington State Community College’s website, Dr. Jona Rinard, who serves as the Dean of Technology and Transfer at Washington State Community College, discussed how the InCERT Academy differs from the existing College Credit Plus options the state of Ohio offers for high school students. Dr. Rinard is quoted as saying, “Our CCP partnerships with local high schools are strong, but we wanted to provide even more access to higher education. By developing programs like the InCERT Academy, we’re removing obstacles and opening doors for students who may not have considered college before.”

InCERT Academy gives high school students the opportunity to earn industry credentials, preparing them to enter straight into the workforce after graduating from high school, instead of pushing them to pursue a college education, though participating in InCERT Academy does not mean that a student may not continue their education following participating in the Academy.

The current offerings of InCERT Academy include Criminal Justice, Cyber Security, Robotics, and Welding. Criminal Justice is the new addition to the roster of options for this session of the Academy. When this session began in September, 55 students from across the region, including Belpre, Caldwell, Federal Hocking, Fort Frye, Frontier, Marietta, Meadowbrook, Shenandoah, Trimble, and Warren, were in attendance.

The Academy gives students the opportunity for hands-on learning in each of the offered programs using equipment, technology, and laboratories on campus at Washington State Community College, as well as potential local job opportunities within the industry of interest. The high school students will attend InCERT Academy every Friday while the Academy is in session.

While the Academy is an opportunity for students to prepare themselves right for the workforce instead of going to college, Jared Voldness, the Director of Engineering and Business at Washington State Community College, pointed out that participating in the Academy does also give students the ability to earn college credits, in addition to their high school credits and industry certifications. He is quoted as saying, “In addition to industry credentials and high school credit, students can also earn articulated college credit, which can help them to get ahead!”

For more information about Washington State Community College, visit the school’s website.