North Seattle Community College: I-BEST (Integrated Basic Education And Skills Training) Programs

What is I-BEST?

Photo: Latino call-center employee with headset I-BEST stands for Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training, and pairs English as a second language (ESL) and/or adult basic education (ABE) instructors with professional-technical instructors in the classroom to concurrently provide students with literacy education and workforce skills. some of the benefits of I-BEST programs include:

Professional-technical instructors + ABE/ESL instructors teach together to help students in their college courses
Students learn a professional skill while improving their English language abilities
Most I-BEST programs are 1 year in length. (Nursing Assistant program is 1 quarter)
Students learn faster
Students prepare for immediate employment in a technical or professional field after finishing the I-BEST program

Available I-BEST Programs

NSCC currently has four pathways, each which fall within important industry clusters in King/Snohomish Counties that would give students career choices. The pathways are:

I-BEST Contacts

Rob Lynch I-BEST Program Coordinator 206-778-9562 rlynch@sccd.ctc.edu
Pat Bouker Accounting Program Coordinator 206-527-3730 pbouker@sccd.ctc.edu
Kristin Distelhorst Program Coordinator, Nursing Assistant — Certified 206-528-4561 kdistelhorst@sccd.ctc.edu
Loretta Ryan IT for Healthcare Program Coordinator 206-527-3790 lryan@sccd.ctc.edu
Bill Brockway HVAC Program Coordinator 206-527-3730 wbrockway@sccd.ctc.edu

For dates, times, and locations of the I-BEST information sessions, see the Calendar.