Seattle Public Schools has a student skills center that prepares kids to go straight out of high school into careers such as firefighting, emergency response, nursing, or careers in the maritime field. In an ever-changing career climate, it’s important to prepare students for a variety of careers and the Skills Center supplies its students with a hands-on education and practical real-world experience.

One of the biggest focuses of the Skills Center is not only to educate, but to prepare its students for a career from the moment they’ve graduated. Daniel Lee, a counselor at Garfield High School, gave some insight into how the Center functions. “…some programs are one-year programs, some are two-year programs. And at the conclusion of that, when you finish [it,] you can walk away with a certificate which [will allow] you to work in that field.” Many professions that the Skills Center offers training in, like becoming an electrician or plumber, would normally require you to earn a certificate through an apprenticeship with a certified professional in the field. However, a student who trains through the Skills Center will not have to worry about that, as the school substitutes the apprenticeship. As a result, they receive a head start on job hunting right out of high school.

The Skills Center’s programs are primarily conducted outside classrooms, in real-world settings, to ensure that students are comfortable with the work environment. “A lot of the classes are not in a traditional classroom…for example, the automotive program situated at Washington Middle School, they’re in a garage…” Lee said. The nursing program also takes a hands-on approach, with students learning in a lab, and the maritime classes are often set in boats on the water.

Miles Edwards, a Junior at Garfield and an attendee of the Skills Center’s Firefighting course recalls why he chose the program, “I felt like I was a bad student last year because I wasn’t keeping up with my schoolwork, and I think part of it was I just didn’t enjoy school very much.” For Edwards all it took was a change of subject. “I think a lot of people are [going to] realize that they’re good at learning…and they just [need] something where they want to find themselves.”

For students looking to get a head-start on their careers  the Skills Center could be a good fit for you, don’t hesitate to explore their website and check out their wide variety of classes. It could end up as a talk to a counselor about booking a summer course or signing up for classes starting next year.