Students completing the Vocational Training and Resource Center (VTRC) office skills course will be able to receive University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) credits under an agreement signed December 7.

Edward Thomas, president of Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, and John Pugh, chancellor of UAS, were among the officials signing the Tech Prep Articulation Agreement.

"This gives an opportunity for our students to obtain four college credits for our office skills portion of the class," according to VTRC Director Archie Cavanaugh. Students receive credit after passing a UAS Tech Prep exam with an 80% grade or better.

Cavanaugh said the VTRC curriculum was designed "for our students to obtain the necessary professional skills to be successful in the job market."

Students spend eight weeks in the program. "A lot of focus is on computer and office skills," according to VTRC instructor Jodi Barnes, "so students may get an entry level office position." Another portion of the class teaches life skills such as time management and how to search for a job.

Barnes said when students complete the VTRC program they may do job shadowing, they may find jobs, and she said, "Hopefully some will continue their education with UAS, based on the credits earned in this class."

Gary Bowen, UAS associate dean and director of the campus's career education program, said the university has a similar Tech Prep agreement with Juneau Douglas High School. "When people in the community are teaching very similar subjects," Bowen said, "we recognize that. They are taught to an adequate standard. We give an exam. If the student passes, we give college credit for what they have taken."