If you’re interested in a career in a high-demand industry that requires hands-on skill sets and a lot of thinking outside the box, stop by the TMCC Career and Technical Education (CTE) Open House on Wednesday, Feb. 16 to learn how one of several certificate and degree programs could land you your dream job. The event, which will be hosted at the TMCC William N. Pennington Applied Technology Center on Edison Way from 6:30–8:30 p.m., will feature a line-up of TMCC’s CTE programs including Automotive, Diesel, Welding, Machining, Manufacturing and Architecture, to name a few.
“It can be useful for prospective students to see all the opportunities that are available to them,” said Interim Dean of Technical Sciences Kreg Mebust. “These are career pathways that might not have come to mind as a student considers college, or possibilities they might not have considered as their future careers. The CTE Open House offers hands-on exploration of these different pathways, and to see firsthand what learning and training opportunities we offer at TMCC.”
If you’re worried that this is going to be yet another booth-and-brochure event, worry not: the CTE Open House is about providing visitors with hands-on experiences. On Feb. 16, be ready to roll up your sleeves in order to touch, manipulate, explore, measure and create across the different featured disciplines. In addition to all of this, the event will offer several opportunities for you to win TMCC-themed prizes through both a raffle and scavenger hunt... as well as snacks attendees can take home and enjoy later.
Interested? Read more for our guidelines to get the most out of TMCC’s CTE Open House.
DIY: How To Get the Most out of the CTE Open House
Maybe CTE sounds like just the right choice for you: hands-on, practical, problem-solving and potentially life-changing professions that support the infrastructure of our contemporary lives. It might sound good to become an auto mechanic or an architect, but how could you know that these careers are actually a good fit with your aptitudes and interests?
Here are some must-do activities at the upcoming CTE Open House that you need to try in order to see if these kinds of careers would be a good fit for you. In addition to learning more about these professions, we guarantee you’ll have fun making a keychain on our machining equipment or driving a Mustang on our dyno demo. (And yes you read that right: participants at the CTE Open House can drive a Mustang. That sounds pretty awesome, right?)
So, take a look at our suggestions and clear your calendar for a night of discovery… and fun!
- Learn to make the cleanest welding seam. Yes, you read that right. We can already hear you: but what if I’ve never welded before? You’re really just going to let me try? TMCC’s Welding Program has both a virtual welder and a robot welder that can help you to hone your technique without putting yourself at risk. This is a must-do… where else can you wear the hood and not get burned by the spark?
- Drive a smokin’ hot car... or a semi! OK, OK, maybe this is a bit of an exaggeration, but it’s an absolute fact that you could get behind the wheel of a Mustang thanks to a piece of technology called the “dyno.” Learn all the aspects of operating the car (aside from steering it) while one of our automotive faculty explains what you’ll learn by attending this hands-on program. You’ll also experience our Smart Boards, which also provide interactive virtual lessons that hone in on specific systems and processes. Interested in larger engines? Our diesel program will also let you explore its Engine Diagnostics, Smart Boards as well as a Semi Truck on a lift (and that’s not something you see every day!)
- Design a building or a public space and let your imagination become real. Do you dream of creating spaces that could change individual lives and how people interact? TMCC’s Architecture Program will open its doors for tours and demonstrations on how this hands-on, interactive and dynamic program can prepare you for a career in designing live, work and public spaces: see models constructed by past students and get a sense of what it takes to become a professional in this innovative field.
- Make a keychain souvenir on our machining equipment. What better way to remember your experiences at the CTE Open House than to make your own souvenir? Learn the process by which machinists create highly detailed metal parts and artifacts through this interactive activity guided by our machining faculty in which you will machine a "TMCC Wrench Key Chain'' on a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Milling Machine—a reminder that CTE is the key to your future!
- You’re not on this journey alone. The CTE Open House will also feature several TMCC Student Services Departments who can let you know how they can help you on your journey to a new career. These include the Career Hub, Counseling Center, Disability Resource Center, and the Wizard's Warehouse food bank.
This sounds amazing, right? We think so, too.
“The CTE Open House is an incredible opportunity for students and their families to experience both the academic offerings and the support services TMCC provides,” said TMCC Career Hub Program Manager Sidney Sullivan. “Students can see the labs and equipment and talk to the faculty and staff about how these high-tech programs work. These programs are focused on hands-on learning and that can be so inspiring to the student who may not know what to expect.”
What Are You Waiting For? Discover How CTE is Key
Clear your calendar on Wednesday, Feb. 16 to make room for a journey through the many aspects of CTE... and one that could potentially change your career and your life.
In addition to all hands-on activities, you can also meet with TMCC experts who can guide you through the process to enroll at TMCC, apply for Financial Aid and to access other TMCC support services to make sure that your focus is where it need to be: on learning the skills you will need to be successful in a hands-on, high-demand career in CTE.
“These programs lead directly to employment. Employers are integral in guiding the programs so that TMCC is teaching what industry needs now, not 20 years ago. And students will be able to tour the labs and see the latest technology in demand by employers in our area,” said Sullivan.
So what are you waiting for? It’s time for you to discover how CTE at TMCC can be your key to success!
If in-person events just aren’t a possibility for you now, you can still learn more about CTE opportunities by visiting our Virtual Open House along with a Virtual Tour of all TMCC locations.
For more information, contact our Recruitment and Access Center at 775-673-8236.