Sno-Isle is an opportunity for high school juniors and seniors to prepare students for the high-tech workforce and pursue further education and training. It’s a cost-free program where students take three classes at their high school, then go to Sno-Isle campus for the rest of the school day to be further educated on a trade they choose.  Sno-Isle has so many classes to choose from that are all hands-on and never have a dull moment. “Well, I do the fire-fighting program, so it’s a lot of physical work, we do drills with all the hoses and stuff and learning how to do everything, we also do book work too, so it a lot of hands on and that’s what I like to do, it’s just a lot of fun” Duncan Cunningham says.

This is for people who want to get their foot in the door for a career that they may be interested in, or for people who want to try something new and just want the experience. They have a huge selection of programs that all fall under these five categories: business and marketing, human services, information technology, science and health, and trade. Every class is one year long and covers the full curriculum, and for some classes, there are second years, but only at the instructor’s request. Each class has its ups and downs, but regardless, they are an unforgettable experience that will help you towards your future. “People who are interested in blue-collar jobs because those people need more experience, and it’ll make it easier to get into jobs.” Daustin Hunt says.

Again, this program costs nothing to partake in (excluding lab fees for some classes,) but you do need to meet some requirements. You must have almost, if not all, your elective credits done because it takes up half of your day, which leaves the other half for your core classes. If you meet those, you then fill out an online application and select the class you wish to partake in. After that, you take a field trip during the school day and have a one-on-one interview with the instructor of the class. With that, you then wait and see if you were accepted.

There are some things to consider, though, as good as this program sounds. One is because it is a whole separate campus, you may miss out on normal school day events such as assemblies, lunch, and normal elective classes. Also to mention, Sno-Isle forbids driving to the campus, so if you miss the bus, you must contact your school or the Sno-Isle attendance office. Parking off-site is a disciplinary offence. Depending on the class, you may be required to wear dedicated or covering clothing and closed-toed shoes. Again, it is a class, so you will be graded on your work, effort, and behavior, which will be transcribed to school. “I mean, they’re pretty strict, so it’s like a one strike and you’re out kind of thing,” Hunt says.

Sno-Isle is a great opportunity that you should check out, it’s a free, fun, and unforgettable experience that you won’t regret. If you plan on going into a trade and want to get some sort of experience under your belt, then Sno-Isle Tech is definitely for you.