Written by: Abagale Elliott
SHS has many classes available to help point students into a guided entrance to the field they may want to pursue as a career. There are even programs to get a student an easier start in the job market. Having a head start from the beginning in today's field is something you cannot make up after the fact.
One of these programs is in the library during 4th and 5th period and is designed for upperclassmen who want to go into the IT field. The few students who are part of this program assist in IT problems throughout the building. Assistance in fixing chromebooks isn’t just greatly helping students with broken devices, it is also preparing the students in the program that fixes the broken devices for work after high school in the field they wish to go into.
“One thing that I have learned about communicating with people while assisting them with computer issues is that it is definitely harder to solve problems in front of people than solving your own problems,” said senior Evan Lloyd. “You have to think about a solution much quicker than on your own time.”
Erin Humphrey, Director of IT, is in charge of the program for SHS. Three students are in the program this year: seniors Taden Mann and Lloyd and junior Landon Irwin.
The program concludes with a certification for the three interns. They have to work to get it, assisting students in real problem-solving scenarios. The issues they help with are common in the IT field, and learning how to communicate with their peers is helpful in the long term for them.
“For me, the certification will add to my resume and it will add to my knowledge and prepare me for the future,” said Irwin. “To get this certification in high school means to propel my education forward and build on my learning for the rest of my life.”
The certification they are working towards is a standard certification which offers basic entry into the IT field. They will earn their CompTIA A+ certifications. It's a broad certification which goes across many different fields of computer science and deals with real people.
“Getting the CompTIA A+ certification was huge for me to get in college,” said Lloyd. “Many businesses require this certification to get hired and it definitely gives me a head start into my career after college.”
The program is helping these students prepare for the real world in many ways: obtaining certification, communication skills, problem solving and accountability are just a few.
“It’s a very small group of students who have to meet certain requirements,” said Humphrey, adding that they hope to continue the program in the future.