At the Whiteside Area Career Center in Sterling, students are not just learning about technology – they are taking it apart, putting it back together and coding their way into the future.

The program is open to high school juniors and seniors interested in computer repair, networking, operating system configuration, programming, Microsoft software and application development. Eligible students can also earn up to 12 college credits through the program.

Instead of memorizing facts and study guides, students learn how to tear down and rebuild computers, examine motherboards and perform basic troubleshooting.

They can also work toward earning several industry-recognized certifications in system administration, cyber security, networking, and others, which demonstrate real-world information technology (IT) skills that can give them a competitive edge when applying for entry-level tech jobs, internships or advanced training programs after graduation.

Instructor Mary Worley said the program can be taken as a one- or two-year course.

First-year students are introduced to formal object-oriented programming concepts, including program design, data and control structures, JavaScript algorithms and other programming languages. Students can also take JavaScript as a semester-long dual-credit course, earning three college credits upon completion.

“The very first lab I have them do every year is a complete teardown,” Worley said. “I always tell them, ‘It’s OK if you are somewhat intimidated.’ I have them basically take everything out: the hard drive, but not the DVD, the power supply... this whole case is gutted, and they learn how to put it all back together.”

In the second semester, students can choose to focus on networking, either by preparing for the Network+ certification or by pursuing the Cisco certification path, which also allows them to add Network+ to their credentials. They can also learn about coding and video game design.

“In previous years, I offered game design, and we went through all three platforms: GDevelop, Unity and Unreal Engine,” Worley said. “This year, I kind of shifted it to where game design is not the whole pie. It’s a piece of the pie.”

Instead of focusing solely on game development, students will learn how to code using Raspberry Pi and Python software, program Tello drones, and get experience with Blink boards – hardware devices used to teach basic electronics and programming.

Worley said her goal is to help students become well-rounded in different areas of coding and technology by exposing them to both software and hardware applications.

“If they come back the second year, then they have the opportunity to pick up where they left off,” Worley said. “So if they took networking, then they could go into [cyber] security. I also have an ethical hacking class.”

Newman Central Catholic High School junior Alexander Briseno has been interested in how computers work since the age of 13. He entered the computer technology program to better prepare for his career goals after high school.

“I’m going towards becoming an ethical hacker,” Briseno said. “It’s when you penetrate through the security systems of companies, and then you find their soft spots and patch them up. You’re basically making sure that their security is not hackable.”

Despite offering students practical, hands-on skills and career-ready certifications, Worley said enrollment in the program has declined in recent years — a trend she finds puzzling given the growing role of technology in everyday life.

“Tech is everywhere... So why are the numbers not bursting at the seams, and what else do we need to do,” Worley said. “These are valuable skills, even if you’re not going into the industry. Let’s say you’re a graphic designer and your computer starts giving you fits. There’s basic troubleshooting steps that you learn in my class that you can use to get it working again.”

The WACC is a cooperative endeavor of 16 member school districts and three parochial schools, educating students who come from five counties: Bureau, Carroll, Lee, Ogle and Whiteside, according to WACC’s website. Most of the population is from Sterling, Rock Falls and Dixon, with the remainder residing in surrounding rural areas and small towns.

For more information, visit wacc.com.