MOSES LAKE — Two programs will be added to the curriculum at Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center for the 2016-17 school year. Registration for the next school year is now open, and will be open until all classes are filled.

Fire science safety and criminal justice will be added, said CB Tech director Christine Armstrong. All existing programs will continue, she ADDED.

Classes are open to students in Moses Lake, Ephrata, Lake Roosevelt (Grand Coulee Dam School District), Wahluke, Othello, Wilson Creek, Lind/Ritzville, Soap Lake, Quincy, Almira-Coulee/Hartline, Royal and Warden, as well as Moses Lake Christian Academy.

Contrary to some of the rumors circulating, most students can attend CB Tech, even if they’re not attending high school the traditional way, Armstrong said. “You can be an online student and come to CB Tech. You can be a Running Start student and come to CB Tech.” Classes are available to students through the SkillSource program and open to people under 21 years of age who have received a GED, said Melody Jenson, program assistant. “There’s an opportunity here,” Jenson said.

The current and future schedule includes training that can take kids in a lot of different directions, Armstrong said, citing professional medical careers as an example. Students who complete the course will leave CB Tech with certified nursing assistant training. But it’s also a first step to post-secondary education as a nurse and other medical specialties, from lab technician to physician, she said.

The program also offers training in welding and metalwork, multi-craft (construction) trades and basic engineering. Previously existing cosmetology, auto technology and culinary programs all became part of CB Tech. Computer science classes focus on video game design and coding, starting from the ground up. Multimedia design classes work with digital, video and graphic design.

All students take a first aid course and receive training in CPR and AED (a form of defibrillator), Armstrong said. Many of the classes include training and certification required in industry, if students pass the tests, she said.

Industrial arts students can receive OHSA 10 safety certification, and “that’s a lifetime (certification),” Armstrong said. They also can receive certifications in forklift and industrial lift operation, as well as the training needed for scaffolds. The fire science safety classes will include certification in wildland firefighting, she said.

Credits from CB Tech also can work as academic high school credits, Armstrong said, and students can qualify for college credits in some situations.

Registration for 2016-17 “closes when classes are full,” Jenson said. Registration is open for summer school, scheduled for June 15 through July 2. The program is 90 hours and is open to freshmen, sophomores and juniors. All programs will offer a class during summer school, Armstrong said.

Students can access registration information online at the Moses Lake School District website, under the CB Tech menu. Prospective students can visit the facility, 900 East Yonezawa Blvd., or contact Jenson at [email protected].