Welcome

to the

Diversified Cooperative Training Program

at

South Branch Career & Technical Center!!

  The Diversified Cooperative Training Program (DCT) is a method of instruction where students receive on-the-job training that contributes to the over-all instructional program.   It is an area of study designed to provide learners with a wide range of basic attitudes, knowledge and skills essential for job success across a wide range of occupations.  The emphasis in this class is preparing you to become a functioning member of the workforce, or in some cases, helping you decide that you would like to further your educational training.  Statistics have shown that approximately 50% of students enrolled in DCT classes decide they would like to have advanced educational training above their high school years.  

 As seniors, you have chosen to participate in a program that, in all likelihood, will prepare you for your future more realistically than any other class you have taken in your school career.  You have now crossed the border into the working world – one that has drastically different rules than those you are accustomed to following.

 This is a student-friendly class.  If you do what is reasonably expected of you, attend class, and maintain regular work hours, you’ll have no trouble.  You have been given a privilege of not attending traditional classes for one-half of the school day.  To keep this privilege, you must play by the rules.  The tri-county area school systems have all implemented attendance policies that specifically state how many days you may miss; the SBCTC has a very specific attendance policy also.  Failure to adhere to these rules will take away your privilege to leave school and work.

 Remember you are now in the world of work.  You will be expected to work as scheduled.  This means that if you are scheduled to work on a day that you are off from school, you are expected to work that day. 

Please follow the links below for additional information:

Eligibility:  As a high school senior, you will be enrolled through your home high school with the assistance of your counselor.  Senior students from East Hardy High School, Moorefield High School, Pendleton County High School, Petersburg High School, and Union Educational Complex are eligible for the program.

Application to class is made in the spring of your junior year.  All enrolled students must have an occupation prior to the first class meeting in August.  All jobs must correlate to the career major chosen.  This must be decided upon by the individual student and determined in conjunction with the assistance from the guidance department of the home high school and the DCT Coordinator.  This class only meets once a week.  If accepted, regular attendance is of utmost importance.

 You must maintain employment and work at least 15 hours per week. Examples of jobs not accepted are babysitting and any third shift employment (example:  11:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.)  Students working for parents and/or relatives have to be approved by the DCT Coordinator. Additionally, all students are required to attend class once a week.

 The quickest way for you to be dismissed from this class is failure to report to work or attend class.  Missing one class period is the equivalent of missing an entire week of class at your home high school.

 Every effort is made to encourage you to be successful on the job.  Quitting the job or being fired may also result in your being removed from this class.  If a layoff on the job occurs, you will be expected to attend SBCTC each day until another job is found and/or the nine week ends at which time you will be placed back into the home high school and given a full day schedule. 

 At successful completion of your training program, you will receive a career and technical education diploma from South Branch Career and Technical Center.

 Work Based Learning:  In our program, we deal exclusively with paid work-based experiences serving the Grant, Hardy and Pendleton county areas.  This class will meet your graduation requirement of providing work-based learning experience. 

 Credits:  After successful completion of the course, a senior enrolled in Diversified Cooperative Training will receive one credit per semester.  A senior enrolled in DCT Work Experience will receive one credit per semester for a total of two credits per semester.