Student Tech Programs are an excellent benefit for both the student and the school district. From the student furthering their interest in technology and getting real-world experience to the district getting additional help with tickets and IT issues, the benefits of starting a student tech program speaks volumes. 

There are many options, such as school credits, certifications, sponsorships, paid vs. unpaid, and more. We have spoken with multiple districts, and each student tech program is unique. They can be as complex or as simple as you make them. It just depends on what is best for your district. 

Step One: Identify the need for a Student Tech Program

There can be multiple reasons for starting a Student Tech Program. Whether it’s because there are too many tickets being submitted to iiQ or the need for an updated student curriculum, these programs are highly beneficial for all involved. The students get real world experience and the workload for agents is decreased. 

Step Two: Determine the qualifications and/or certifications needed

As mentioned before, your district’s student tech program can be as simple or complex as you see fit. Most of the programs we have seen are small and require the student to be interviewed and hold specific qualifications. 

Optional Qualifications

One option is to start with a larger course for beginners and allow the students to gradually take on more responsibilities as they progress through intermediate and expert courses, without the ability to move to the next without passing the previous. 

Optional Certifications

There are many certifications out there that would benefit the district and look great on the student’s resume. These are just a few we have heard about, but there are so many out there. 

• Udemy - offers a multitude of curricula, such as IT Fundamentals and A+ Certification
• Dell Certification
• Apple Certification
• Chromebook Certification

Step Three: Create your blueprint

With so many options, the best thing to do is start planning. A few things to consider:

• How many students should you allow into the program?
• How many classes will you offer?
  • If there is only on class, can the students take it annually?
  • If providing courses, are there prerequisites?
  • If providing multiples courses, what are the different qualifications?
• What certification courses will you implement?
• Will this be a paid or unpaid opportunity?
• Will this be for school credit or a student work-study program?
• Will you need sponsorships?
• Will the students have access to work tickets in iiQ?
  • What permissions will they need?
  • Will they have different levels of permissions depending on what they are in (if applicable)?
  • What information should they be able to access?
• Do they have to be a certain age to join the program?

Bonus Step: Expand the program

Once your program is fully built, you can potentially start expanding to help your community! @DSponsler   and the students at Jenks Public Schools created a help desk where parents or guests can get help with devices. Even if the students can’t fix them, they can practice doing diagnostic testing. Another example is @junkim and the team at Moore Public Schools - they plan to eventually fix old devices and donate them to various places throughout the community, such as libraries or retirement homes. Not only will expanding the program help the community, but it will also give students additional practice and skills.