by Wes Abney
Business Manager

There is a new short term professional certificate program starting this spring, and it’s known as the best.

That is, the I-Best (Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training) program. Within I-Best there are three different certificate programs available, all of which are three quarters or less in length.

“These programs are all fairly new,” said program advisor Aura Rios-Erickson. “It is open to anyone at least 16 years old. There are no special requirements; it’s a training program.”

The I-Best training program is mainly for English as a Second Language (ESL) students or Adult Basic Education (ABE) students, but it works for anyone. The credits are all transferable towards a degree, and graduates are placed into living wage entry level positions. Graduates leave with a certificate towards a specialized field and hands on internship experience within a year.

“The I-Best program is a partnership between ABE programs and workforce development,” said Rios-Erickson.

The first of the three training programs is the General Service Technician certificate in the automotive field. It is a high demand arena with an advantageous two quarter long program. The other skilled labor certificate is for Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machinists in the world of manufacturing. This year long introduction into high demand machining is new this year.

Another all new program starting this spring is the Bilingual Office Assistant Program. It is a two quarter program that teaches keyboarding, word processing, and other important office skills.

“This is designed for students in the process of getting a GED or transitioning into college,” said Rios-Erickson. “The classes are all designed to be co-taught for people from all language backgrounds.”

Interested students are required to take an assessment test before spring quarter, and talk to the ESL program advisor to determine eligibility. For program information, students should contact Debby Hunter at (206) 542-4602. The program is currently accepting applications, and classes begin March 31.