National CTE Month highlights importance of RLC programs

INA, Ill.  – Across the country, colleges are celebrating National Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month this February for the important role CTE programs play in local communities. The same can be said for Rend Lake College, where approximately 70 percent of graduates receive a specialized credential.

Last year, of the 1,390 degrees and certificates RLC awarded at commencement, 983 (duplicated) belonged to graduates of a CTE program, some students receiving more than one or a combination. Broken down, this means 251 associate degrees and 732 certificates were awarded to CTE program graduates.

Overall, these graduates represent 70.7 percent of all degrees and certificates awarded at RLC for fiscal year 2015. This percentage is slightly higher than information from the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), that states roughly two-thirds (66.9 percent) of all community college graduates in the state earned a CTE degree or certificate. RLC was also higher than the state average completion rate for CTE program, ranking at 72.7 percent over the state’s 64.5 percent.

“Career and Technical Education programs at Rend Lake College continue to grow because of the local demand for these graduates. We partner with business and industry in our district to offer high-skill, in-demand programs,” said Lori Ragland, Vice President of Career Technical Instruction.

CTE programs and their students make up a large portion of the RLC campus community with over 100 degree and certificate programs falling under the broad scope of CTE. These programs are designed to train students to understand and perform specific skills, dependent on their program. Many utilize clinicals and internships to offer hands-on training and real world experience.

Hot CTE programs at RLC

Four allied health programs make the top ten list of CTE programs with the most students and graduates at RLC. For the last two years, the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN), Radiologic Technology degree, Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) certificate, and Medical Coding certificate pulled in hundreds of students.

With nursing prospects on the rise, RLC’s ADN program continues to draw the most students every year. One of those students is sophomore Jennifer Sweet of Benton who previously worked as a dental assistant and said the patient interaction was her favorite part of the job.

“When I was working as a dental assistant, I really liked it. People would come in and I wouldn’t make it so scary. Many people just don’t like the dentist, so I’d be there to take the edge off,” said Sweet. “It’s making people’s lives easier.”

Sweet then shared a story about her son, who became very ill at 12 days old. She said it was the nursing staff at the hospital who showed her compassion in her time of need.

“I realize now what those nurses did for me. They helped my son, but they also helped my family,” said Sweet. “I want to do that. I want to take the scary stuff and make it better for other people.”

With her ADN degree, Sweet said she will start an online bachelor’s degree program and work locally in the meantime. Her suggestion to other students interested in this CTE program is to visit campus to figure out if the program is a good fit.

“[If you’re not sure] get into some job shadowing or come out here and talk to any of the advisors. The nursing instructors can talk to you about what ADN is and help you see if it works for you,” said Sweet.

RLC students enrolled in any Allied Health program can visit the Health Studies Student Success Center (HSSSC), located in the Learning Resource Center, to focus on their studies and use special medical equipment. The HSSSC is a great resource for students to get additional experience and extra study time. Click on the image for a larger view.

The second most-popular CTE program on campus, Radiologic Technology, sees dozens of students every year. Two of those students this year are sisters Danielle and Denise Bruns of Pinckneyville who are in their last semester before graduating. The pair said they chose Rad Tech because they were interested in the medical industry, but not in being a nurse like Sweet.

“When I was younger, I always wanted to do something in the medical field, and I thought about nursing, and then I saw how cool radiology was. It was something different than nursing,” said Denise Bruns.

Danielle Bruns added, “I wanted to be in the medical field as well, but I knew I never wanted to be a nurse. I thought about pharmacy and occupational therapy, but they weren’t for me. We have a cousin who used to do x-ray, and she said she really enjoyed it. I thought it would be interesting.”

The twins plan to graduate from RLC this spring and transfer to Southern Illinois University to work on bachelor’s degrees, Denise focusing on becoming an MRI technician and Danielle studying diagnostic medical sonography, or ultrasound technology.

“You have to be very personable and not shy to talk to patients,” said Danielle Bruns of the program. “You have to be very patient with different people, because not everyone is the same or understands the exact same thing. You have to be able to communicate with different people.”

Denise Bruns added that clinical work in the program was a very important part of her studies. Not only did it help her decide the program was for her, it also helped other students realize it may not be the right fit. Like other CTE programs, Rad Tech students complete clinicals every semester during the program to give them hands-on experience working in the field.

“Some people thought they were interested in this, but when they got to the clinical, they weren’t very personable with people, so they knew it wasn’t for them,” Denise Bruns said.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), both the nursing and radiologic technician job outlooks are growing faster than average. Between 2014 and 2024, the nursing field is expected to grow by 16 percent, adding nearly 450,000 new jobs to the market. Radiologic technicians will also see a nine percent growth and almost 21,000 new jobs.

But not all of RLC’s popular CTE programs fall in the allied health industry. The Culinary Arts Management degree, Diesel Technology degree, and Criminal Justice degree all rank in the top five most-popular programs. When it comes to one- or two-semester certificates, CNA, Medical Coding, Agricultural Mechanics, Diesel Technology, and Welding Technology draw in the most students annually.
Agriculture Associate Professor Kathy Craig works one-on-one with a student in RLC’s Agriculture program. Ag Mechanics is one of the most-popular programs on the RLC campus every year. Click on the image for a larger view.

Freshman Zach Sternberg of Ellis Grove is an Ag Mechanics student working not only on the certificate, but also an associate degree program. He will graduate with multiple credentials in May of 2017.

“I’ve always been interested in the way equipment works and keeping it working. This program is my first real exposure to it. I like being in the shop. Right now, I’m working on rebuilding an engine for a skid steer loader,” said Sternberg. “I’m wanting to work in maintenance and operations. I don’t think I’ll go for more formal education, but with anything there’s always job-related training.”

When it comes to encouraging other students to pursue Ag Mechanics – any of the three degrees and certificates in the program – Sternberg suggests visiting the shop and speaking with students and faculty about the programs.

RLC’s other CTE offerings

Some of the programs RLC offers are common CTE programs found in higher education across the state, such as Architecture Technology, Automotive Technology, Computer-Aided Drafting, Diesel Technology, Graphic Design, Heavy Equipment Technology, Manufacturing Technology, and Welding Technology.
A Welding Technology student completes a project in the program’s lab. This CTE program gets students working hands-on to complete work similar to what they will do after graduating. Click on the image for a larger view.

Many of these programs offer opportunities for students to transfer to a four-year institution with an associate degree, such as Murray State University or Southern Illinois University. Ragland said these extra prospects draw in students who want to continue their education after graduating from RLC.

“Articulation agreements are in place for several of our CTE programs for a seamless transition to a four-year university,” explained Ragland. “Attending a community college the first two years provides not only a quality education with a low instructor-to-student ratio, but a significant financial savings to the student.”

Many allied health programs also fall under the broad spectrum of CTE programs, including Certified Medical Assisting, Emergency Medical Technician and Paramedic, Occupational Therapy, Surgical Technology, and Veterinary Technology.

At RLC, the allied health programs continue to be some of the most-popular for students and most-needed for local communities, seeing some of the highest growth percentages, according to the BLS.

Other CTE programs at RLC include Computer Programing, Cosmetology, Cyber Security, Early Childhood Education, Industrial Electronics and Maintenance Technology, Mining Technology, and Surveying Technology.

New CTE programs approved

In the last academic year, RLC approved five new CTE programs and continuously updates others – such as Health Information Technology, Office Systems Technology, and Truck Driver Training – to meet local needs.

These five new programs include Barbering, Biomedical Electronics, Certified Production Technology, Pharmacy Technology, and Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Of these, Biomedical Electronics is expected to grow by 23 percent, according to the BLS. RLC is also working on receiving Department of Professional Regulation licensure for an Esthetics program.

RLC’s Integrated Career and Academic Preparation System (ICAPS) is another avenue for students interested in gaining technical skills while also working on their GED. The ICAPS program, which began last summer, offers a degree in Personal Care Aide or Certified Production Technology.

According to the ICCB, Illinois has seen an increased demand for CTE program offerings by approximately 12 percent since fiscal year 2011. Just last year, 615 new CTE programs were approved at community colleges across the state, including the five at RLC.

Visit Rend Lake College’s campus or www.rlc.edu/journey to learn more about the CTE programs. For more information, contact Academic Advising at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1266 or advising@rlc.edu.