CTEC Work-Based Learning applications are open until Jan. 26, allowing students to sign-up for courses that are specifically tailored to various career fields. 

“Work-based learning opportunities include internships where students intern with a company or business in our community that matches a career interest that they have,” CTE Center Principal Dianna Manuel said. “This moves learning from the classroom to the real world.”

For junior Cindy Trinh, a prospective pharmacology student, the work-based learning opportunities provide insight into students’ futures even while in high school. 

“Upon completion of the course, you can take the PTCE and potentially become a certified pharmacist technician,” Trinh said. “[It’s a] great job to have while in college and before pharmacy school.” 

The registration process consists of making an account on the CTE Center website to fill out a program qualification form, which includes several basic questions and references from current teachers. From there, students potentially need to fill out more course-specific forms and complete an interview. 

“Each year we must cut students from the programs because there aren’t enough internship sites to accept all that apply,” Manuel said. “It’s important for students to do their best and not wait until the last minute to complete the process.”

With the addition of courses such as Pharmacology to the health science program, students with an interest in the specific field are given opportunities they might not be able to find even later in life. 

“It’s hard for high schoolers to find opportunities to work in professions such as a pharmacist technician,” Trinh said. “But the work-based learning opportunities give easy access to these kinds of opportunities.”