Waukesha County Technical College, Carroll University partner to offer Technical Teaching Training certificate

Student at computer

PEWAUKEE, Wis. (Monday, Aug. 3, 2020) – Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) and Carroll University are partnering to offer a Technical Teaching Training certificate for Waukesha County high school teachers and WCTC adjunct instructors.

The certificate aims to help expand the number of educators that are qualified to teach technical skills, as defined by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), a regional accrediting agency. With the credential, instructors will be able to teach transcripted credit courses at area high schools or WCTC.

(Transcripted credit agreements allow high school students to take WCTC courses at their high school and earn both credit at WCTC and high school credit. The credit is applied to a student’s academic record and can be used toward a WCTC program and evaluated for transfer by a four-year institution.)

To earn the Technical Teaching Training credential, participants must enroll in at least 12 credits in a technical area at WCTC, such as welding, electronics, information technology, culinary, robotics and others, while concurrently enrolling in three technical teaching graduate seminars (six credits) at Carroll University.

Instructors participating in the program may also qualify to earn credit for previously acquired skills and knowledge gained through advanced classes, other college coursework, self-study, military training, or work or volunteer experience.

“The collaboration between two higher education institutions on this Technical Teaching Training certificate will benefit our K-12 education partners by allowing high schools to offer more transcripted credit options to their students,” said Carroll President Cindy Gnadinger. “It also will help address workforce development needs within Waukesha County by increasing the number of educators who can provide students with these critical technical skills.” 

It also enables high school teachers to deepen their technical teaching skills and pass that knowledge on to students, said Mike Shiels, dean of the School of Applied Technologies at WCTC.

“This exciting partnership between WCTC and Carroll University prepares high school educators to deliver the college-level curriculum in the high school classroom, allowing high school students the chance to earn more college credits,” Shiels said. “Earning college credit while still in high school has been a priority for students and their families as it translates to a savings of time and money.”

Cost of the credential varies; however, up to $4,000 is covered by the Wisconsin Fast Forward grant.

Enrollment begins in fall and ends in summer 2021. To learn more, contact Mark Rzeznik at Mrzeznik@wctc.edu or 262.695.3401.