April 11, 2002
Contact: Sandra Bach (509-963-1519/e-mail: bachs@cwu.edu)
ELLENSBURG, Wash. - School districts across the state are seeking qualified teachers who are current with industry skills and knowledge of industry standards. To help fill that gap, individuals with business or industry experience who want to teach their professional skill in a high school or skill center may obtain their career and technical education teacher certification through Central Washington University.
The Competency Block Certificate Program is designed to meet school district’s needs as a way to instruct the next generation of skilled workers for industry.
“The competency block certificate program is the result of more than six years of collaboration between CWU faculty, career and vocational educators and leaders, OSPI (Office of the Superintendent of Public Education) vocational administrators, and state and industry representatives,” Sandy Colson, CWU office of continuing education programs manager, says. “We are very excited that it was the first program in the state to be recognized and approved by the State Board of Education.”
Participants may complete the program in two academic years by taking the courses, Competency Block 1 and Competency Block 2, at one of the three state cohort sites — Tumwater, Renton or Yakima. The program is offered on a self-support basis through the CWU office of continuing education.
For more information, to request registration materials or for persons of disability to arrange for reasonable accommodation, call (800) 720-4503, or (for the hearing impaired) TDD (509) 963-3323, or visit the office of continuing education Web site at www.cwuonline.org/conted/credit/voced/index.asp.
