Students - TWE Program

TWE Program (WHS Grades 11 & 12)

Attention Sophomores... Are you interested in learning more about new technology?  Are you considering a career in the growing IT field? Do you enjoy helping others use computers? If so, the Woodridge T.W.E. program may be the perfect fit.

Program Overview

The Technical Work Experience(TWE) program at Woodridge High School is a program for students involving:

1. hands on technology training
2. paid work experience provided and monitored by the technology department staff

As part of a paid work experience in the district, TWE students are hired in the spring of their sophomore year and are trained during the summer. While on the job, the students enjoy a truly hands-on learning experience that benefits the students, the school, and the community.

The Technical Work Experience (TWE) program is a non-traditional program that was created to assist, instruct, and troubleshoot the technical needs of the Woodridge Local School District.

The training that students experience, the work that students do, and the expectations of the TWE program will continue to evolve and be adjusted as technologies change and resources available to the program change.

Joining TWE

To join TWE, students must fill out an application and submit the teacher evaluation to each of their teachers.  Application available each spring.

Each year approximately three sophomores join the program. TWE students will be selected based on their attitude and their desire to learn and work. Previous knowledge is not a determining requirement. 

As a member of TWE, you must submit your timesheet every other Monday. A timesheet includes the dates and times of work and a description of the work completed. The description of work serves as a model of typical TWE work for institutions, businesses, etc.

Benefits of TWE Training and Work Schedule

1. Schedule Flexibility

Can’t work because you need the time to prepare for a test or schoolwork? No problem! The beauty of this work opportunity is that we are extremely flexible and willing to work around your schedule ALL of the time. Plus - you’re already here, so there isn’t really any travel time to get to the job. Depending on the individual student, we have work schedules which can match a study hall at the end of the day or allow for work immediately after school. 

We encourage our students to be well rounded and involved in a number of activities during the school day and also place a high priority on academics.

2. Job Shadowing

After interviews and selections are made, we do some ‘job shadowing’ before the end of the school year.

This is an opportunity for you to get to know the technology staff as well as see a little bit of what goes on behind the scenes.

3. On the Job Training

Summer work is a lot of on the job training and typically ends up being 9-1pm for two or three weeks after school is out, then a break for the middle of summer and then back to work for the three weeks or so leading up to the start of the school year. 

During the school year, students work when they have time in their schedules during the school day; they utilize skills learned over the summer and have many opportunities to learn new skills. 

Historical Overview

In 1995, the Summit County Educational Service Center received a large Federal Challenge grant. Schools across the state were significantly increasing their investment in technology. The leadership within the ESC had the insight to know there was a need for educators to develop a philosophy that would help guarantee that the new technology would be appropriately integrated into classrooms. The central theme of the grant was “New Work” for students. The philosophy educators developed focused on the work that students do. The grant guaranteed that students would not just do the same old work with technology. Teachers and administrators attended a sequence of classes called the Technology Academy. During class discussions, an idea for a student work experience program developed. The grant was modified so the sixteen school districts could each begin a new opportunity for student learning called Technical Work Experience, i.e. TWE.

Each school district selected a small group of students. The SCESC hired two educators to facilitate the TWE program. The ESC facilitators provided training for the students and helped districts develop their programs. The grant provided district funds to pay students for district work they completed. Each district developed its own details for this new non-traditional student learning experience. TWE coordinators from each district met regularly to discuss the program and share ideas.

By 1999 the ESC grant was ending. The TWE coordinators within the Six District Educational Compact (Woodridge, Tallmadge, Stow, Hudson, Kent, and Cuyahoga Falls) began meeting in order to continue their programs. Each of the six districts assumed the cost of its own TWE program. Each district continued to develop its own TWE program. The six TWE coordinators met quarterly to share ideas and design a shared training program. The classroom training consisted of a summer camp with each district responsible for organizing a portion of the training week. Businesses were sought as partners in the program. Custom Computer provided training and parts for each TWE student to build their own PC. AC LaserTech brought in a selection of printers, scanners, etc. to provide hands on experience about peripherals. Kent State University provided hands-on experience with video conferencing technology. TWE students also spent time looking into network structures, Macintosh technology, and customer service concepts.

The Woodridge High School TWE program continues to evolve and mature. It began with two juniors in 1998. They attended two weeks of summer training provided by the Summit County Educational Service Center, attended training four Saturdays during the school year and worked with the district Technology Coordinator a few days each week after school. The Woodridge program now has six students. They attend training each summer and work when their school schedules permit. They receive just in time training as experiences present themselves on the job. The work they do has changed and grown with the program.

Through the development process the focus of the Woodridge TWE program has remained one of a non-traditional educational experience. Students learn, work, get paid, and help teachers and students with their technology needs.

(An archived description of the program as written by Mr. Lacy.)