Students groomed for jobs in dual-enrollment courses

Glowing orange sparks flew against Letrell Fiffie's khaki school uniform pants, but he wasn't concerned. He keeps a second pair back at West St. John High School, where he is a senior.

His work pants were for his beginning welding and industrial maintenance classes at the Louisiana Technical College River Parishes Campus in Reserve.

"It's different," he said, comparing it to his old welding class at the Edgard school last year. "They've got more equipment. The director is great. I'm learning. When I graduate from high school, I'll come over here, take some classes. I'm going to have some credits."

Together, high schools in St. John the Baptist, St. Charles and St. James parishes have 602 students participating in dual enrollment courses at their high schools and on the LTC campus, allowing them to earn both high school and college credits.

It's a 346 percent increase from last year, when only 135 students participated in dual enrollment classes, LTC River Parishes Campus administrator Cindy Poskey said Wednesday.

The college does not charge any tuition or fees for students taking classes at their own high schools, and the three school districts are paying the tuition and associated costs for those who attend classes at LTC.

Besides welding, dual enrollment courses this year include principles of accounting, introduction to computers, nursing fundamentals, medical terminology, office systems, drafting and process technology.

Working together, the college and the school districts made several changes that expanded students' opportunities to earn college credit.

With the help of teachers and district administrators, the college last summer approved credentials for 33 high school teachers -- 13 in St. Charles Parish, 12 in St. John, and eight in St. James -- enabling students in their classes to earn both college and high school credits for courses that are equivalent to courses offered at the college, Poskey said....