CTC Brownstown Campus Experience
by Rachelle R
The CTC is a place that high school students can take classes that will help them in college and explore their decisions. My group went to the Brownstown campus.
We were hit with the delicious smell of coffee in the Culinary wing. Pots filled the kitchen, with large freezers, a rotisserie, a humongous floor model mixer for large batches of food, large fryers, a convection oven, and some unfamiliar cooking equipment in bins. In order to succeed in the Culinary wing, students have to understand the importance of timing and sanitation.
Next, we learned about the Plumbing program, which is a lot more complicated than most people think. In plumbing, one cannot make mistakes on the job, so plumbers have to be careful. A plumber could only be off 1/8 of an inch at most from the exact measurements, or else they are in trouble. A water heater could explode if not installed correctly. Once you learn enough, you will be able to go into co-op, which is where the school finds you a job with a real employer, with real pay. Plumbers have to know a lot about electricity, too.
In Painting, students get to learn some graphic design, how to use drywall, painting using grid enlargements, cabinetmaking, furniture refinishing, some flooring, wallpaper gluing and removal, cutting window glass, how to use an extension ladder, and finding the center of the room with chalk. In order to be successful in this class, you have to concentrate on your lesson, absorb it, and do it correctly.
In the Visual Communications class, students learn photography, graphic design, and commercial art. Students also do something called image composting, which is like photoshop, where two pictures are combined. The half day program for this class is available in 11th grade. In order to thrive in this class, you do not even need to be artistic. You just need to listen to your instructor.
In the Health program, a few of the things students learn are first aid, how to care for patients, about diseases and disorders, the detail of the human body, and how to save someone’s life. This class will make students work hard with plenty of studying and hands-on activities. To succeed in the healthcare class, students need to be responsible, organized, and possess leadership and studying skills. The half day program is also available in 11th grade.
In Computer Systems Technology, you learn how to make a computer and learn to know it like you know the back of your hand. The dedicated students spend 6-8 hours every day all year with computers and teach each other. To succeed in this class, you have to “show up and be creative,” as well as be a flexible thinker. Some of the jobs you can have with knowledge beginning with this class are a system analyst or a security specialist. The full day program is for seniors only.
One of the last programs we visited was Cabinetmaking and Wood Technology. The full day program is for seniors only. The fancy name for what they do here is “wood component fabrication.” To succeed in this class, students have to be open-minded, be willing to learn new things, and be determined.
In Commercial Art, you get to try on different techniques such as landscape, mixing paint, stippling, and contour, and elements of design. Students mostly design advertisements physically and digitally. Students sell their art to businesses. To succeed in this class, you have to be patient, have a good attitude, be flexible, and learn to be in a work force---it is preparation for the real world. This class also has a half day program in 11th grade.
Even after all of the programs we visited, we still had not seen all of them. The Lancaster Career and Technology Center has many opportunities. To learn more about each of the classes, go to the Lancaster CTC website.
We were hit with the delicious smell of coffee in the Culinary wing. Pots filled the kitchen, with large freezers, a rotisserie, a humongous floor model mixer for large batches of food, large fryers, a convection oven, and some unfamiliar cooking equipment in bins. In order to succeed in the Culinary wing, students have to understand the importance of timing and sanitation.
Next, we learned about the Plumbing program, which is a lot more complicated than most people think. In plumbing, one cannot make mistakes on the job, so plumbers have to be careful. A plumber could only be off 1/8 of an inch at most from the exact measurements, or else they are in trouble. A water heater could explode if not installed correctly. Once you learn enough, you will be able to go into co-op, which is where the school finds you a job with a real employer, with real pay. Plumbers have to know a lot about electricity, too.
In Painting, students get to learn some graphic design, how to use drywall, painting using grid enlargements, cabinetmaking, furniture refinishing, some flooring, wallpaper gluing and removal, cutting window glass, how to use an extension ladder, and finding the center of the room with chalk. In order to be successful in this class, you have to concentrate on your lesson, absorb it, and do it correctly.
In the Visual Communications class, students learn photography, graphic design, and commercial art. Students also do something called image composting, which is like photoshop, where two pictures are combined. The half day program for this class is available in 11th grade. In order to thrive in this class, you do not even need to be artistic. You just need to listen to your instructor.
In the Health program, a few of the things students learn are first aid, how to care for patients, about diseases and disorders, the detail of the human body, and how to save someone’s life. This class will make students work hard with plenty of studying and hands-on activities. To succeed in the healthcare class, students need to be responsible, organized, and possess leadership and studying skills. The half day program is also available in 11th grade.
In Computer Systems Technology, you learn how to make a computer and learn to know it like you know the back of your hand. The dedicated students spend 6-8 hours every day all year with computers and teach each other. To succeed in this class, you have to “show up and be creative,” as well as be a flexible thinker. Some of the jobs you can have with knowledge beginning with this class are a system analyst or a security specialist. The full day program is for seniors only.
One of the last programs we visited was Cabinetmaking and Wood Technology. The full day program is for seniors only. The fancy name for what they do here is “wood component fabrication.” To succeed in this class, students have to be open-minded, be willing to learn new things, and be determined.
In Commercial Art, you get to try on different techniques such as landscape, mixing paint, stippling, and contour, and elements of design. Students mostly design advertisements physically and digitally. Students sell their art to businesses. To succeed in this class, you have to be patient, have a good attitude, be flexible, and learn to be in a work force---it is preparation for the real world. This class also has a half day program in 11th grade.
Even after all of the programs we visited, we still had not seen all of them. The Lancaster Career and Technology Center has many opportunities. To learn more about each of the classes, go to the Lancaster CTC website.