Onsite driver’s education offered to BCC students
The class meets three afternoons each week until the classroom portion is complete. Students will begin the live driving portion in spring.
In an attempt to break an employment barrier for students, Buckeye Career Center now offers onsite driver’s education to interested BCC students. The course is taught in partnership with the East Central Ohio Educational Service Center, which provides the driver’s education instructor.
The first class was offered last fall at the East Central Ohio Educational Service Center with nine students completing the course. The inaugural in-person course began in January at BCC and includes 20 students. The class meets three afternoons each week until the classroom portion is complete. Students will begin the live driving portion in spring.
According to BCC Principal Matt Fockler, the course addition is the result of several months of research and student surveys, which indicated 38% of BCC students are not licensed to drive.
“We felt that not having a driver’s license could be a barrier to employment for our students,” Fockler said. “We thought that if we could offer driver’s education on campus, we could remove a barrier that students sometimes face if they are busy in the evenings. I feel like getting a driver’s license is a badge of honor for a teen, and we want to be able to help them do that.”
The course was first offered to seniors before being opened up to BCC juniors. Fockler hopes to have several driver’s education sessions next year, with seniors having priority enrollment.
The course is paid for by Buckeye Career Center at no cost to the student or their family. BCC has applied for grant funding to offset this cost in the future. Students who complete the training are eligible to earn a one-point industry-recognized credential to use toward graduation.