JATC (Jordan Applied Technology Center) is a school that is connected to Jordan School District and to Salt Lake Community College. They provide college level classes with many different options. JATC is such a great idea for eligible students because they give you some insight if you like a certain career path.  These classes are a great way to have some fun and experience new things hands-on. This helps you make your resume more appealing to potential employers. 

Like I said, JATC helps you figure out what you are interested in. You can choose from dozens of classes and experiment with potential career options. Taking a certain class doesn’t mean you have to make that your career path. It means you just are learning more and experiencing more which makes you more well-rounded. Any class you take there will improve your knowledge of what you would like to do with your life. For example, taking an aviation class would help you know if you could spend a lot of time doing that before you spend a lot of money at college.

Ian Clement, a Bingham senior, takes the digital media class. He said, “I loved every second of it…[I] definitely [understand what a career would be like]. They do start on the basics of each career field in the first semester, but during the second you get to choose which field to focus on, helping you understand even further.” 

JATC is definitely a great choice for high school students because you get to experience new things. I know in my experience, most regular high school classes don’t give vaccinations and don’t perform neuters and spays on animals and yet, I have now done those things through JATC. This is one of the best things about taking any JATC class; we learn through doing.

These experiences are irreplaceable. Yahneli Garcia, a JATC student, takes the nail tech class and the only thing she has regretted about this class was not taking it earlier. 

JATC has positively impacted many lives in a positive way. It affects students while they are in the class and after. Taking a class here shows to future employers that you have experience doing hard things and can keep up with the changes of life. Many random problems come up. Maybe you lose a cat in the wall or it’s math that you can’t quite figure out. JATC helps students learn to handle whatever life throws at them and to figure out the out-of-the-box solution. Another reason this program helps students get entry-level experience that many people in the job field have a hard time obtaining. This really helps get a foot in the door for jobs that require some experience. This can be a great advantage against the competition to get hired. 

Overall, I know JATC is a great choice to get experience, try new things, and grow all at the same time. JATC changes lives for the better. For those high school students interested in this amazing opportunity,send in an application and find out more information at https://jordandistrict.org/schools/high/jatc/