Teens Get an Early Start to College & Career Exploration at MCC

During the Spring 2024 semester, Middlesex Community College has a variety of options to helps teens get early exposure to college and career paths. Through MCC’s Community Education & Training division, the College for Teens program allows young students to explore the health and business pathways, as well as sharpen their math and communication skills.

“MCC’s College for Teens programs provide a unique experience for young students to learn early on about what to expect in college and the career paths available to them,” said Audrey Nahabedian, MCC’s Dean of Workforce Education. “Before starting college, they are freshening up valuable skills, gaining confidence, and developing helpful habits they can use as they continue their education and beyond.”

Taught by Professor & Program Coordinator Suzanne McHale, MCC’s Medical Lab Tech Career Exploration introduces students to the field, the college’s Medical Lab Tech program, clinical and laboratory experiences, and career directions. The class will take place 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday, March 25 to April 17 on the Lowell campus. For the last class, students will attend a field trip to a local hospital laboratory to meet and hear from employees.

In MCC’s Business Career Exploration class, high school students will gain an introduction to business skills and concepts, including an opportunity to do career mapping, writing and research to develop a real-world understanding of jobs in the business and accounting fields, as well as how to get them. Full-time MCC accounting and business professor Vikram Sharma will teach the online course that will run 3:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. on Wednesdays, from April 10 to May 15.

MCC will offer two Algebra Review courses for students in middle school through high school to strengthen skills, review concepts, go over problems, and ask questions. Taught by an MCC math professor, both sections will be offered from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the Bedford Campus with Algebra I running from February 6 to March 5, and Algebra II going from March 19 to April 23.

To help students improve public speaking skills, College for Teens will offer the Art of Presentation: Speaking with Confidence. The class will take place online from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. March 26 to April 9. Teens will learn to use their voice, build confidence, practice speaking in a supportive environment, and use verbal and non-verbal tools to increase their self-esteem.

MCC will also run a Makeup Application for Beginners session online from 10 a.m. to noon on the Friday of the February and April school breaks, February 23 and April 19. Students 12 and older can learn the basic principles of good skincare and applying makeup, choose correct colors for skin tone, and appropriate looks for different settings.

“Starting the college process can feel overwhelming for both students and their families,” Nahabedian said. “MCC offers a cost-effective and low-risk way for students to explore interests, learn about careers, and jumpstart their futures in a friendly and welcoming environment.”

Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/careertraining/ for more information and to register.