Gabriela Lopez is going to be a senior at Hug High School, but she already has a college transcript: in her junior year, she enrolled in two college classes, which included Hospitality and Tourism and Communications 101. These classes were offered on-site as a part of TMCC’s Jump Start program. “I absolutely love taking these classes and I plan on taking some either my first semester of senior year or second,” she said. “These classes have been so affordable… [and] They really give you a boost to how college life will be. Jump Start gives you an opportunity to get a head start towards what you want to become in the future!”
Lopez, who plans on entering the medical field so she can work with infants, sees value in taking classes that count toward her high school degree as well as for college. “These classes push you in a great way to become a better person. These college courses push you the perfect amount, work-wise, to where you notice that you are growing as an individual. When you feel like there is a considerable amount of weight on your shoulders, whether it is for finishing high school and college homework, just remember your goal. These courses will help you take a step closer to your dream job or to whatever you want to learn,” she said.
This summer, TMCC Jump Start is expanding its partnerships to include more schools in the Reno/Sparks community, and thanks to a new partnership with Tesla, is offering high school students an opportunity to receive hands-on training… and a job.
Get Ready to Jump Start Your Education
There’s a lot to love about the TMCC Jump Start, a program that offers qualifying high school students at one of its many partner schools to start earning college credit in a cost-effective way as they complete their high school education requirements. For Nevada residents, dual enrollment classes are offered at a 25% discount for in-person classes, which is less than half the cost of a course at a four-year institution. Online classes are only $50 per class plus fees.
This year, students at the Leadership Academy of Nevada and Bishop Manogue High School—TMCC Jump Start’s newest partners—will join Washoe County School District, Nevada State High School, Alpine Academy and Nevada Connections Academy in offering high school students the opportunity to earn dual-enrollment credits.
On-site fall cohort classes will be available at Academy of Arts, Careers and Technology, enCompass Academy, Alpine Academy and Galena, Hug, Wooster, Reno, Spanish Springs, Sparks, Damonte Ranch, and Nevada State High Schools.
Cohort classes are also available through TMCC programs, including Upward Bound and Men of Color Mentorship Program, which will offer students the opportunity to take Political Science 101, as well as the Dean of Future Scholars, which will offer students Biology 100 and Psychology 101.
If you are looking at continuing your education after high school, start with Jump Start. “I am truly blessed to have this opportunity and I hope you really consider [enrolling in Jump Start classes]... I am positive you will not regret it,” said Lopez.
Tesla Teams Up with Jump Start
If you like the idea of earning college credit, but you’re a hands-on learner who is looking for a career that doesn’t involve sitting at a desk all day, thanks to a new partnership with Tesla, you could start earning college credits, a certificate of completion, and a guaranteed interview by signing up and completing the required classes right from the comfort of your own high school.
“We developed a certificate that [high school] students can complete while they are in school, completing their other classes. The program is 100% free [no tuition or fees are required]. Students take the classes at their local high school, and at the end of the program, have the opportunity to earn a certificate,” explained CTE Outreach Specialist Jorge Rubio. “Not only that, but Tesla is guaranteeing an interview for those students... saying, in essence, that if you complete this program, you will get a job with us.”
The program will start in the coming fall semester at the Academy of Arts, Careers, and Technology, and in Sparks, Reed and McQueen High Schools. “The program will be offered in an open-entry format,” said Rubio. “So students will have a lot of flexibility that are integrated into the classes offered through this new program.”
The program is funded by a STEM Workforce Talent Pipeline Development Grant provided through the Nevada Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation, and Technology. Additionally, partial support for this work was provided by the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program.
The program promises to deliver a hands-on, technical experience with up-to-date training equipment provided by TMCC. “Students will have to understand how things are built, robotics and how to fix certain robots because there’s an electrical class they have to take,” said Rubio. The classes will also fulfill high school elective credits.
Not only that, but the certificate is “stackable” with other TMCC credentials. “This means a student could complete this program in high school, get a job and continue to receive on-going training at TMCC to get a Certificate of Achievement, Associate of Applied Science, and even now a new Bachelor of Applied Science degree,” said Rubio.
However, spots are limited. Don’t waste another minute: visit the Steps to Enroll to get your foot in the door with Tesla, and be ready to “jump start” your career in advanced manufacturing.
For more information, contact TMCC’s Jump Start Program at 775-673-8236.