The Native American Career Technology Education Program provides in-house vocational training opportunities in Business Occupations Technology and Child Development Associates. Individuals who complete training in any of these fields increase their marketability and employability, not just within the Cherokee Nation, but within the private sector as well.
Both areas train for nationally recognized certifications. The program is provided at no cost to participants. NACTEP pays all associated costs, including books, supplies, testing fees, and uniforms (where required).
Once determined eligible for entrance into the program, the participant may also qualify to receive an hourly stipend while attending. This cost of living stipend makes it possible for the participant to commit to this full-time, 40-hour a week program.
The Business Occupations Technology component will prepare participants for jobs in all areas of office occupations, in relation to participants' abilities and interests. This component will emphasize computer literacy and will utilize the computer in all training aspects presented. Since some positions require more training than others, the component will be flexible, utilizing an open entry/open exit strategy.
The Business Technology class trains individuals for the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification. The MOUS training areas are in Word, Excel, Outlook, Access, and PowerPoint. An individual can receive certification in any or all of these areas. In addition, participants receive training in all areas of office work, including filing, business math, telephone techniques, office procedures, and office machines. Many opportunities exist for hands-on learning experiences in various office settings.
The Business Technology participants will be afforded an on-the-job practicum at the end of their training period. The Education Specialist will coordinate the practicum with the training instructors and potential employers, including the Cherokee Nation. The length of the practicum period will be dependent on the requirements of the job level and the individual needs of the participant and may vary from participant to participant. This placement is designed to increase permanent placement by allowing potential employers the opportunity to observe participant skills on the job.
The Child Development Associates class provides adult Native American students with the skills they need to be competent and effective child care providers. Through a partnership with the Cherokee Nation Child Care and Development Program, the students are given an opportunity to gain experience in child care through "hands-on" training. This experience, coupled with the classroom instruction they receive, fully arms them with confidence and the knowledge necessary to enter the child care profession.
The training to become a credentialed Child Development Associate (CDA) requires a 12-month period. Child Development Associate credentialing requires a professional resource file, observations of on-site performance by a CDA advisor, parent evaluations and an oral and written evaluation by a CDA representative. This information is sent to the Council for Early Child Professional Recognition in Washington, DC, which determines if the participant is awarded the CDA credentials.
Due to the sensitive nature of the child care field, participant selection is strict and requires additional eligibility factors. In addition to the standard eligibility requirements, an applicant must also possess a high school diploma or GED, provide three written character references from non-relatives, score at least at the 8th grade level on the Language portion of the Test of Adult Basic Education (TA13E), receive a Tuberculin test and submit to an Oklahoma State Bureau of investigation (0513I) background check and a urinalysis drug test. Though the requirements are strict, a career in child care can be both rewarding and satisfying.
