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Girls in STEM: Polaris Career Center offers both adults and high school students technical and STEM-based programs

Programs offered at Polaris allows students to leave with certification for a variety of jobs or go on to college with their experience.

MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, Ohio — Polaris Career Center in Middleburg Heights offers 14 programs to students from Berea-Midpark, Brooklyn, Fairview, North Olmsted, Olmsted Falls and Strongsville high schools. Some of the programs include welding, computer networking, dental assistant, aeronautics and bakery and pastry arts.

Lydia Rabne is in the nursing assistant program and she’ll leave at the end of the school year with her state testing nursing assistant certificate before heading to college to become a registered nurse.

“I really enjoy coming to school every day. I love it,” said Rabne, adding, “We’re in the lab everyday transitioning people into bed, positioning, doing vital signs. We're definitely not just sitting at a desk and doing tests and papers.”

Welding is another hands-on program. There are 5 girls enrolled in welding this school year. Here too, they earn certificates and can land a good paying job when they graduate.

And forget about being intimidated by all the boys in the class.

“Most of the girls are better at welding than some of the guys,” said Instructor Julio Martinez.

Martinez says he gets calls and emails constantly from employers looking for welders.The kids in the program learn everything from basic welding to advanced fabricating, all on state-of-the-art Lincoln Electric machines. Once again, jobs are plentiful if they want to go right to work when they graduate high school.

To learn more about Polaris Career Center, watch the story in the player above and visit Polaris.edu.

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