Instructional Programs
Career Training Programs
Renton Technical College offers specialized professional and technical training programs to people of a variety of ages and backgrounds. Our primary mission is to provide training, retraining and skills upgrading for employment in occupations that do not require a baccalaureate (or higher) degree. In most cases, RTC programs accept students with or without a high school diploma, and allow as many entry points as possible during the school year. Training at RTC typically means six hours a day of instruction.
Renton Technical College programs encourage students to master job skills and concepts in order to progress and complete their studies to maximize job entry and retention opportunities.
Advisory committees, composed equally of management and labor, help direct program emphasis to meet industry needs. These committees recommend instructors, assess supplies, materials, and equipment, assist in job placement, evaluate courses, and specify training needs. A careful examination of placement records further ensures that training programs are responsive to industry needs.
Renton Technical College strives to ensure that its programs are relevant and include skills required for success in employment. All instructors are experienced in the fields they teach. Programs emphasize the communicative, numerical, scientific and human relations skills necessary to be a good employee, as well as the technical skills that employers certify to be appropriate for the occupation.
Through the Cooperative Work Experience option available in many job training programs, the college blends realistic training settings with job placement and workplace success. In these programs, students (with instructor approval) receive credit for employment or internships appropriate to their training. Some employers pay a wage. Students must remain with the training program to complete course competencies. This partnership benefits students, the college, and local employers. RTC offers career training in the following programs:
- Accounting Clerk
- Accounting Paraprofessional
- Accounting Specialist
- Aerospace & Industrial Production Technologies
- Anesthesia Technologist
- Autobody Repair and Refinishing
- Automotive, Ford ASSET
- Automotive Technology
- Band Instrument Repair Technology
- Central Service Technician
- Commercial Building Engineering
- Commercial Refrigeration Technology
- Computer Network Technology
- Computer Science
- Contemporary Business Administration
- Construction Management
- Culinary Arts
- Custodial Training
- Dental Assistant
- Early Childhood Education
- Electrical Plant Maintenance
- Engineering Design Technology
- Field Surveying Technician
- Health Care Navigator
- Industrial Engineering
- IT Fundamentals
- Land Surveying
- Leadership in the Trades
- Legal Assistant
- Machining Technologies
- Major Appliance & Refrigeration Technology
- Massage Therapy Practitioner
- Mechatronics
- Medical Assistant
- Medical Assistant-Phlebotomy
- Medical Coding Specialist
- Nursing Assistant
- Office Assistant/Receptionist
- Ophthalmic Assistant
- Pharmacy Technician
- Professional Baking
- Property Maintenance for Multi-Family Residences
- Registered Nurse
- Revenue Management Specialist
- Stationary Engineering
- Surgical Technologist
- Veterinary Assistant
- Welding
Apprenticeship Programs
Renton Technical College cooperates with 10 Joint Apprenticeship Training Committees (JATC) in making classes available for 19 unique apprenticeship programs in a wide variety of job titles.
Admission information is available from the Department of Labor and Industries website or from the specific JATC.
General Education
General Education courses are an essential part of our associate degrees, enabling the student to attain necessary competencies in analysis, communication, qualitative and quantitative methods, synthesis, and teamwork for further growth as a productive member of society and providing a foundation for lifelong learning.
Whereas completion of the vocational training requirements demonstrates competency in the area of specialty, completion of the General Education requirements demonstrates a competence in oral and written communications, computations, and human relations in the workplace.
For a listing of current classes being offered each quarter, see the quarterly Class Schedule or call the Enrollment Services Office at (425) 235-2352.
General Education requirements vary for each program. Entry into General Education courses in writing and math are determined according to the College’s course placement process. General Education credits may be transferred to other colleges within guidelines established by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.
The testing calendar is available in Enrollment Services or on the RTC Testing Services webpage.
Continuing Education, Retraining, and Professional Development Programs
Renton Technical College offers many day and evening classes for credit to those who wish to upgrade their skills for job advancement or those who wish to develop new skills, perhaps in a different career.
For a listing of current classes being offered each quarter, see the quarterly Class Schedule or call the Enrollment Services Office at (425) 235-2352.
College & Career Pathways
College & Career Pathways programs are offered to students who need and want the background skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in college programs and the workplace.
Classes are scheduled at convenient times - morning, afternoon, and evening - to meet student needs. Hybrid and online options are also available. Students can improve their basic skills to be successful in technical programs, obtain employment, qualify for job promotions, and improve the quality of their personal lives. Programs include:
- English Language Acquisition (ELA)
- General Education Development (GED) Preparation
- High School Equivalency (HSE)
- Integrated Basic Education & Skills Training (I-BEST)
Type of Awards
Bachelor of Applied Science Degree
All Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) students are required to take 60 credits of general education coursework, a minimum of 30 credits which are often satisfied at the Associate degree level, as confirmed by entrance requirements. The remaining credits will be satisfied over the course of the two-year BAS program. This degree option is currently offered in these programs:
- Application Development
- Computer Network Architecture
Associate of Applied Science Degree
All students enrolled in an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree program must complete core course requirements for the Certificate of Completion and a minimum of 20 credits of prescribed General Education classes. Students must take the ACCUPLACER test prior to enrolling in some General Education courses. All AAS degree programs are approved by the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. This degree option is currently offered in these programs:
- Accounting Paraprofessional
- Aerospace & Industrial Production Technologies
- Autobody Repair & Refinishing
- Automotive, Ford ASSET
- Automotive Technology
- Band Instrument Repair Technology
- Commercial Building Engineering
- Commercial Refrigeration Technology
- Computer Network Technology
- Computer Science
- Construction Management
- Contemporary Business Administration
- Culinary Arts
- Dental Assistant
- Early Childhood Education
- Engineering Design Technology
- Industrial Engineering
- Land Surveying Technician - Geospatial Science
- Legal Assistant
- Machining Technologies
- Major Appliance & Refrigeration Technology
- Massage Therapy Practitioner
- Mechatronics
- Medical Assistant
- Medical Coding Specialist
- Multi-Occupational Trades (Apprenticeship)
- Ophthalmic Assistant
- Pharmacy Technician
- Stationary Engineering
- Surgical Technologist
- Welding
Associate of Applied Science Degree - Transfer
An Associate of Applied Science-Transfer (AAS-T) degree facilitates transfer to some institutions. This degree option is currently offered in these programs:
- Accounting Specialist
- Anesthesia Technologist
- Computer Network Technology
- Computer Science
- Culinary Arts
- Dental Assistant
- Early Childhood Education
- Massage Therapy Practitioner
- Medical Assistant
- Ophthalmic Assistant
- Pharmacy Technician
- Registered Nurse, Associate Degree
- Surgical Technologist
Notice: Accepting credits, however, is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Effective academic planning for those who think they may want to transfer includes a complete understanding of how the receiving institution will evaluate courses taken at RTC. We recommend you discuss your proposed educational plan with the receiving institutions and ask for an evaluation of credits. Not all courses you take will be directly transferable; check with the receiving institution about what options may be available to you to receive credit for non-transferring courses. If you intend to transfer following completion of RTC’s courses or programs, alert your faculty counselor so you can receive additional help during your program planning process.
Certificate of Completion
A Certificate of Completion is issued to a student enrolled in a certificate or degree program when the student successfully completes the course competencies.
Certificate of Award
A Certificate of Award is issued to a student upon request when the student has successfully completed a unit of study in apprenticeship, basic studies or community education classes.
Direct Transfer Degree
The Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) associate degree is designed to transfer to most Bachelor of Arts degrees at all four-year colleges and universities in Washington state. Renton Technical College offers this option in business, computer science, construction management, and pre-nursing.
General Educational Development (GED)
A General Educational Development certificate is issued to an individual who successfully completes the General Education Development Test. The GED is generally accepted in lieu of a high school diploma.
High School Diploma
The college awards a high school diploma through the College & Career Pathways’ High School Completion Program to adults 21 and over who demonstrate competencies in reading, writing and math contextualized in science, history, government, occupational studies, and digital literacy. Competency is demonstrated through current coursework and previous learning and experience.
Online Requirements
Students enrolling in Online and/or Hybrid courses will need the following to use Canvas, which is designed for maximum compatibility and minimal requirements.
Operating Systems
- Windows XP SP3 and newer
- Mac OSX 10.6 and newer
- Linux - ChromeOS
Mobile Operating Systems
- iOS 7 and newer
- Android 2.3 and newer
Computer Speed and Processor
- Use a computer 5 years old or newer when possible
- 1GB of RAM
- 2GHz processor
Internet Speed
- Along with compatibility and Web standards, Canvas has been carefully crafted to accommodate low bandwidth environments.
- Minimum of 512kbps
Screen Reader
- Macintosh: VoiceOver (latest version for Safari)
- PC: NVDA (latest version for Firefox)
- PC: JAWS (latest version for Internet Explorer 10 & 11)
- There is no official screen reader support for Canvas in Chrome.
- RTC has integrated ALLY into Canvas, which allows students to access files in the version that is most accessible for them (electronic braille, audio, HTML 5).
Supported Browsers
- Chrome 73 and 74
- Firefox 65 and 66
- Flash 31 and 32
- Internet Explorer 11 (functional support)
- Edge 42 and 44
- Respondus Lockdown Browser
- Safari 11 and 12
Some supported browsers may still produce a banner stating “Your browser does not meet the minimum requirements for Canvas.” If you have upgraded your browser but you are still seeing the warning banner, try logging out of Canvas and deleting your browser cookies.
For a list of our online courses go to the RTC eLearning webpage.
|