Students from 40 California Schools Participated in Pathway Programs Workshops at Cerritos College

NORWALK, Calif. - Aug. 27, 2013 - PRLog -- Pathway Programs offered enrichment workshops this summer for middle and high school students.  The workshops provided students with an opportunity to explore the various careers through hands on learning.  The workshops were offered to introduce students to engineering and architectural career pathways while providing students hands on experiences.  Students used the latest software being used by commercial companies.  Workshops included: SolidWorks, Architectural Design, Robotics, and Career Exploration.

In the SolidWorks workshop, students learned how to design 3D products. The high school students had the opportunity to take the CWSA certification exam, an industry recognized certification.  Out of 20 high school students that took the workshop, 9 received their certification.

In the Architectural Design workshop, students learned how to integrate engineering, architecture, creativity blend innovative architectural designs, and utilized cutting-edge technologies.  Students took the concepts learned and designed a 2 bedroom house.

In the Robotics workshop, students learned how to build and program Vex robots.  Their designs were put to the test at the end of the workshop through an internal competition.

In the Career Exploration workshop, students took self-assessments to determine their strengths and created a presentation about the top three careers they were interested in.

The workshops benefited the students by introducing them to various career fields, allowing them to explore an activity they may not have an opportunity to participate in, improve their basic math, English and communications skills. Through the application of skills learned at school, students were familiarized to college at a younger age. This builds their confidence proves to them that college is an attainable goal.  The programs encouraged students to pursue and successfully complete post-secondary degrees and industry valued certifications, while increasing student engagement and achievement.

“Pathway Programs has been able to expand its programs offered every year thanks to the generous donations and grants received. This summer we serviced approximately 200 students from many middle and high schools,” said Maggie Cordero, Director of Pathway Programs. “Students came from as far as Orange County and Los Angeles city to participate in our workshops.  The best part about being able to offer these workshops is to see the excitement in the students’ faces and see how their confidence grow.”

Workshops are available each semester.  In the Fall semester, Architectural Design, SolidWorks, Guitar Making, and Robotics will be offered.

If you are interested in sponsoring a workshop or donating to the program visit us online at http://cms.cerritos.edu/pathways and https://www.facebook.com/pathwayprograms or call us at (562) 860-2451 Ext. 2487 or email the Director of Pathway Programs, Maggie Cordero, at MCordero@cerritos.edu (mailto:sheapy@cerritos.edu).