There's now a way for students in Seattle to learn some valuable job skills, with a new program launched by the school district.
Senior Nick Marek has always known he`s wanted to help people, and now he's getting training as a nursing assistant in high school.
“I didn`t know there was a special way to make beds, and a certain number of pillows you had to use when you`re turning somebody,” he said.
It`s part of Seattle Public Schools’ Skills Center program -- a new curriculum intended to give students hands-on experience and earn industry certification.
“Half of learning how to be a nurse is just getting comfortable with that environment and getting comfortable with those basic skills,” said RN instructor Paula Kett.
Kett, a registered nurse and director of the Medical Careers Program, is preparing students to become certified nursing assistants.
“If you`re an educator, you look at these students and how engaged they are and you see the doors opening for them, said Shepherd Siegel, career and technical education manager of the Skills Center.
He said the programs “really give students a boost, they help them with their graduation requirements, but, most importantly, they open doors and introduce them to careers.”
Students can choose health sciences, aerospace, IT, even digital animation and gaming design -- and all courses connect with major employers such as Boeing, Microsoft and Cisco.
“I'm never 100 percent on anything,” Marek said, “and so this kind of helps me just get me a little closer to deciding if this is really what I want to do.”
Right now there is room for 300 students. All courses were filled earlier this year.
Although there are only four different course areas offered at three locations right now, more programs will be added every year at new locations throughout Seattle.
