WHAT IS TECH PREP?         

Tech Prep is a program of study, which begins in high school, continues at a post-secondary institution, and culminates in an associate of applied science degree, two-year certificate, or two-year apprenticeship in one of the Career Interest Areas, and leads to related meaningful employment.  A Tech Prep program is developed by a regional consortium consisting of representatives of secondary and post-secondary schools and of the private sector.  It may also articulate from a community college to a four-year baccalaureate degree.  

Tech Prep was built upon three critical components:  

1. Linkages between academic and career and technical education.  To ensure that students have a strong academic foundation and the ability to apply that foundation to technical tasks, academic and career and technical educations must work together to design Tech Prep sequences. 

2. Collaboration between educators and the business community.  Educators and the business community must work together to design work-based learning opportunities.  Business, industry and labor can also assist by serving on advisory councils, assisting in curriculum instruction, giving Tech Prep students priority hiring consideration, offering wage and advancement incentives, supporting continued work-related training or education, or even making scholarships available for post-secondary institutions. 

3. Articulation between secondary and post-secondary education.

WHO IS A TECH PREP STUDENT?

A Tech Prep student is one who is seeking further education after high school and has a written career plan that identifies a sequence of courses that leads to a Tech Prep occupation as a career goal.  Students may begin as early as the 9th grade and no later than the 11th grade to select a Tech Prep sequence of courses.  Students may revise their program of study as they move toward their career goal.  

WHAT IS A TECH PREP OCCUPATION?

A Tech Prep occupation is a career in which an associate of Applied Science degree, or two year apprenticeship, is the predominant method of entering the occupation.  It must provide opportunities for above average entry wages and potential growth.  The occupation must require advanced technical skills and require multi-faceted problem-solving and critical thinking skills.  

WHY HAVE TECH PREP?

More new jobs require post-secondary training but not a 4-year degree. Some high school students lack direction and motivation. Illinois’ workforce is aging and in need of highly skilled workers. Parents want higher education for their child. The education system should be designed to prepare all students, not just a special few, for careers and education after high school. Most students learn more effectively when academics are taught in context. Tech Prep provides high school students with plans of study that will prepare them for the next step after high school graduation.   

WHAT EXACTLY IS ARTICULATION?

Articulation is an agreement between a high school and community college which establishes a curriculum and education pathway for students so they may easily make their transition from secondary schools to higher education.  It is an effective way to encourage high school students to plan and continue their education.  Through the Tech Prep articulation process, program linkages between area high schools and community colleges are formed to help students make a smooth transition from one level to another without experiencing delays or duplication of courses.  

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ARTICULATION? 

Benefits to Students:    

• Articulation saves students time and money by eliminating the need to repeat skill training in college that was mastered in a high school program.
• Articulation creates clear career training paths and motivates high school students to consider college education as a viable personal option.
• Articulation reduces student frustration and improves college retention by allowing students to enroll in more advanced technical courses rather than making them sit through introductory courses whose content they have already mastered. 

• Articulation creates a viable college-stream option for vocational graduates—a potent recruiting tool for occupational programs.
• Articulation motivates high school students to perform well, since students usually must have above average grades to qualify. 
•  Articulation can increase both the number and quality of secondary students who enroll in college technical programs and who later go on for a bachelor’s degree or other higher education.
•  Articulation improves relationships among faculty and administrators across educational levels by helping them appreciate both the quality and the concerns of each others programs.

• Articulation helps create a more comprehensive education delivery system, with clearer, easier transition across levels for students.
• Articulation offers incentives for youth to go to college, thus increasing the potential tax base and overall quality of life in the community.
• Articulation helps turn out more and better trained technicians and managers for local employers—a strong drawing card for attracting or retaining business/industry in the community.

HOW DOES THE ARTICULATION PROCESS WORK? 

Students attending Whiteside Area Career Center will receive a certificate, upon completion of their coursework with a grade A or B, that they may present with their high school transcript when applying to Black Hawk College, Highland Community College, or Sauk Valley Community College.  To receive articulated credit at the community college, students must enroll within two years of completion of a WACC class.  Articulated credit will be granted by the community college after a student has completed six hours of community college credit. 

ALL STUDENTS ATTENDING THE WHITESIDE AREA CAREER CENTER 

ARE TECH PREP STUDENTS