LEWISTON – Last year, Nate Jalbert was one of the IT guys for Lewiston schools. This year he’s a new teacher.

When the Lewiston Regional Technical Center opens Thursday, Jalbert will teach computer repair and networking.

His new surroundings are familiar.

Jalbert, 27, graduated from Lewiston High School in 2002 and attended LRTC, which has 700 students from six high schools in Lewiston, Auburn, Poland, Wales, Turner and Lisbon. Jalbert’s father, Don Jalbert, taught computer drafting there for years.

“One year I was in his class,” Jalbert said.

And, Jalbert’s classroom will be the same where his father taught. “I think these are the same desks,” he said.

He said he benefited from LRTC. His junior year he took computer drafting, his senior year computer networking, a good introduction to information technology.

After high school he graduated from the Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston. He worked for a company doing IT in Boston, then moved to Lewiston to accept an IT job for the School Department. Last year, he repaired computers at elementary schools.

He’s looking forward to teaching.

“I’ve always been around career technical education. I know how rewarding it can be, especially at a tech center like this, teaching important skills to students,” he said. “I see teachers who have been here for many, many years. There’s got to be something special about it.”

He remembers his father, who today is director of a technology center at a high school in Peterborough, N.H., as passionate and dedicated about teaching job skills to high school students.

Jalbert said he’s excited, and nervous, about his first day of school.

“Hopefully I can present this as a viable career path for students,” he said.

His classes will offer two different certificates, both nationally recognized by the industry, that successful high school students can earn.

Either or both will allow high schoolers “to go right into the workforce, or continue their education.” They could be hired for entry-level jobs in IT departments, working at the help desk, repairing and/or setting up routers or wireless access points.

With the repair class, “they can earn college credit.” It is a similar class offered at Central Maine Community College. “CMCC gives high school students credit for the class,” Jalbert said. “Most of our textbooks are written at the college level. Kids need to be able to read and understand high-level thinking.”

One of his goals as a teacher is “to get the kids certified, as many as possible.” Another is to have a paper-free classroom, teaching with Google apps. That will allow students to work online wherever they have access to the Internet. Students can use smartphones in class for school work, “but if I see them texting I’ll take their phone away.”

LRTC Office Manager Doris Martineau said she’s watched Jalbert grow, and remembers him as a high school student with strong skills. “He’s very smart. He’ll do very well,” Martineau said. “Nate knows his trade.”

Jalbert had a short but successful career as a technician, said LRTC Director Rob Callahan. Hiring a former student “is compelling evidence our graduates are viable in the workplace.”

LEWISTON – Last year Nate Jalbert, 27, was one of the IT guys for Lewiston schools. This year he’s a new teacher.

When the Lewiston Regional Technical Center opens Thursday, “Mr. Jalbert” will teach computer repair and networking.

His new surroundings are very familiar.

Jalbert graduated from Lewiston High School in 2002 and attended LRTC. His father, Don Jalbert, taught computer drafting there for years.

“One year I was in his class,” Jalbert said.

And, Jalbert’s classroom will be the same where his father taught. “I think these are the same desks,” he said.

He said he benefited from LRTC. His junior year he took computer drafting, his senior year computer networking, a good introduction to information technology.

After high school he graduated from the Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston. He worked for a company doing IT in Boston, then moved back to Lewiston accepting an IT job for the school department. Last year he repaired computers, desktops and did troubleshooting at elementary schools.

He’s looking forward to teaching.

“I’ve always been around career technical education. I know how rewarding it can be, especially at a tech center like this, teaching important skills to students.”

“I see teachers who have been here for many, many years. There’s got to be something special about it.”

He remembers his father, who today is director of a technology center at a high school in Peterborough, N.H., as passionate and dedicated about teaching job skills to high school students.

Jalbert said he’s excited, and nervous, about his first day of school.

“Hopefully I can present this as a viable career path for students.”

His classes will offer two different certificates, both nationally recognized by the industry, that successful high school students can earn.

Either or both will allow high school students “to go right into the workforce, or continue their education.” They could be hired for entry-level jobs in IT departments, working at the help desk, repairing and/or setting up routers or wireless access points.

With the repair class, “they can earn college credit.” It is a similar class offered at Central Maine Community College. “CMCC gives high school students credit for the class.

“Most of our textbooks are written at the college level. Kids need to be able to read and understand high-level thinking.”

His goal as a new teacher is “to get the kids certified, as many as possible.”

Another is to have a paper-free classroom, teaching with Google apps. That will allow students to work online wherever they have access to the Internet.

Students can use smart phones in class for school work, “but if I see them texting I’ll take their phone away.”

LRTC Office Manager Doris Martineau said she’s watched Jalbert grow, and remembers him as a high school student with strong skills. “He’s very smart. He’ll do very well,” Martineau said. “Nate knows his trade.”

Hiring a former student “is compelling evidence our graduates are viable in the workplace,” said LRTC Director Rob Callahan. “Nate had a successful career as a technician. For us to bring him in indicates we have both quality professionals and quality teachers.”