Spencerport High School students recently gained a new and powerful tool to help them facilitate their eventual transition from formal education to the workplace. The New York State Education Department's Office of Workforce Preparation approved the district's Career and Technical Education Certification in Office Technology last month, making Spencerport High School the first non-BOCES public school in the state to offer such a program.

The Office of Technology program requires students to complete Career Connections I and II (formerly Introduction to Occupations), Computer Keyboarding/Communications, and Co-op (work-based learning). In addition, students must take and pass the Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) certification exam for Word 2002 and complete a Work Skills Employability Profile as part of their K-12 career portfolio. Students who successfully complete the program requirements will earn MOUS Certification as well as a special endorsement on their high school diploma. This endorsement signifies that the student has earned an industry-standard certification in an employable skill that is readily recognizable by any prospective employer.

The district completed several steps to gain state approval. Among them were industry approval through the district's Career Advisory Council and school board approval. The C and TE program goes into effect beginning in September 2003 and is valid until 2008. Future plans call for modifying the program to provide students with the option of earning industry-standard certifications in Excel, Access, and PowerPoint as well. "This valuable tool will provide Spencerport graduates who earn the C and TE endorsement with a competitive advantage over many of their peers in an increasingly competitive job market," says Mike Consadine, assistant principal at the high school.