Several area students received a glimpse of their future college career.

Thursday, February 21, 2002

Several area students received a glimpse of their future college career.

Joel Utsinger, the academic preparation coordinator for GEAR UP, said the students in the Interactive Media Tech Prep program at Ironton High School and students from Dawson-Bryant spent Tuesday at Shawnee State University getting a feel for what programs are out there in the technology field.

Ironton’s tech prep course, Utsinger said, is designed as a two-plus-two program where students receive two years technology training in high school and then go on to an associate degree program in technology.

And the economic outlook for the field looks good, Utsinger said. He explained that information in the U.S. Department of Commerce’s annual publication, "Occupational Outlook," says seven out of the 10 fastest growing jobs are in the technology field. Utsinger said several of the job areas listed are specifically driven for the interactive media field.

Utsinger said the students attended what equaled to a science fair for technology students. Students toured the university’s facilities and worked hands-on with some of the equipment they would use in college and in the multimedia tech field.

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