The West Shore programs hosted at Lakewood High School are two-year career-technical education programs for juniors and seniors from Lakewood, Bay Village, Rocky River, and Westlake. These programs give students an opportunity to dive deeper into a technical skill or trade by learning through lectures, hands-on work, and work-based learning.
The 13 programs include:
- Automotive Technology
- Business Management
- Construction Trades
- Culinary Arts
- Electronic Engineering Technology
- Engineering Technology (PLTW)
- Media Art & Design
- Medical Professions
- Networking with Cybersecurity
- Nursing Foundations
- Sports and Exercise Science
- Teacher Education and Children’s Health
- Theatre Arts
- Community-Based Job Training Programs
West Shore classes typically take up two to three periods of a normal school day for students in the programs. These programs are different from the normal high school class, involving students spending time in lecture, learning the academic side of their field, but also a period or two in a workshop/lab, where they learn how to apply what they have learned in the classroom.
“So, being a technical program, we don’t just teach the academics like a normal class would do,” Electronic Engineering teacher Andre Bruwer said. “The students actually take what they’re learning, and they actually learn a skill. [Then] there’s…the hands-on work, where they actually see how the academics are going to be used in real-life situations one day.”
Not only are West Shore classes different from regular classes because of the hands-on work they do, but they are also tailored to be college prep and job readiness programs. From learning how to take proper notes to critical thinking and higher-level problem-solving, these programs help students prepare for the fast-paced environment of college.
“I’ve spent some time with various college professors around the country…and everything we do here, they cover at the college level in their introductory programs,” Bruwer said. “So when they get to those courses at college, we’re really setting our students up for success.”
West Shore programs usually come with college credit, too. By taking a state-administered “web exam,” students can earn introductory college credit. Students in some West Shore programs can also earn certificates.
“Not all our programs offer certificates currently, but many of them do,” teaching assistant Joanne Schwark said. “For example, in construction, auto mechanics, welding, and nursing, you can get direct credentials, which will allow you to find a job right out of high school if you choose not to go to college.”
West Shore students are also set up for success in the skills that they learn in their program. Whether it be life skills or employability skills, West Shore develops them all through class responsibilities and leadership roles, such as class supervisor.
“The soft skills part of it—showing up on time, following policy and procedure…All those kinds of things are what they’re going to find in the job market window,” Bruwer said.
Through West Shore, students are able to learn how to really apply their academics and how to think at a deeper level. “I would say one of the main skills they practice is how to take in new information, synthesize it, and apply it,” Schwark said. “Here, you have to use some intuition, some creativity, and you take what you’ve learned, and then you expand on it, and you go into areas that you haven’t been taught.”
Although West Shore programs require significant time and commitment, it will be worth it to be a part of, even if students end up not pursuing that same field.
“[West Shore is] important because it allows students to kind of explore what they like,” West Shore Director Yakoob Badat said. “And if after you’re done with it, you can say that you like it, or don’t like it, but it’s an opportunity for you to experience something and then make a decision on whether or not you want to pursue it.”
West Shore programs set students up for success by developing college-readiness skills and an understanding of their field of work. The opportunities West Shore offers push students beyond their limits, both academically and in their skills. For many students, West Shore is more than just a class; it’s the first step towards discovering their future.
