Person High School to offer CLT course
BY ANNA FLETCHER
COURIER-TIMES STAFF WRITER
annafletcher@roxboro-courier.com
Starting in spring 2019, Person High School juniors and seniors will be able to take a Certified Logistics Technician course that will lead to three national, industry-recognized credentials.
The tuition-free, 106-hour course will be offered in partnership with Piedmont Community College through the Career and College Promise program, which provides several pathways for students to advance their post-high school careers.
One of these pathways is the career and technical education pathway, which is designed for students who plan to enter the workforce directly upon graduation.
Offering high school students continuing education courses that lead to a state or national credential is a new addition to the CTE pathway – added as an amendment to state legislation in August 2017, which originally stated that students could take only CTE courses that lead to a certificate or diploma.
The addition comes as part of the state’s push to offer more ways for high schoolers to graduate with more than just their high school diploma, says Person County Schools Director of Career and Technical Education Judy Bradsher.
The CLT course introduces students to the field of transportation and distribution logistics, providing nationally validated skills to prepare students for front-line jobs in material handling, manufacturing factories, warehouses, distribution centers and transportation. It will also provide instruction on industrial forklift operation and maintenance, as well as design, controls and instrumentation, pre-use inspection, safety awareness and stability.
Through this training, students can earn three national certifications in one semester: certified logistics associate, certified logistics technician and OSHA-forklift.
The course also includes plant tours, field trips and Working Smart instruction – a career readiness component that covers areas such as soft skills and job ethics.
PCS hopes to continue expanding course options based on feedback from local industry, the CTE advisory board and student interest, Bradsher says. Though some courses have certain specifications, such as age restrictions, students have already expressed interest in fire safety and emergency medical services training, she says.
“We hope to increase the skill sets for our students as they go out into the community, hopefully work within the community [and meet] local demand,” she said. “It’s giving students more opportunities to increase their employability skills. If they choose a career path upon graduation, they’ll have all of the tools and knowledge they need.”
According to PCC President Dr. Pamela Senegal, this opportunity will be beneficial to everyone involved.
“This is one of those perfect storms, where it’s good for the student, it’s good for the public school, it’s good for the college and it’s good for employers,” she said. “Companies in this area are looking for folks who are high school graduates and have that credential so that they can start at some of those entry level positions.”
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