Students Rachel Torgov and Robert Bradley do IT work on their computers, October 9, 2025. Photo taken and provided by Ronald Suchy.

Mayfield High School hosted an Excel TECC webinar to inform students about the program. SHS students Robert Bradley Jr. and Rachel Torgov, who both attend the IT program, created and hosted the webinar for aspiring students wanting to take Excel TECC. The webinar was the first in a series–the next webinar will be Oct. 31.

Excel TECC is a pre-apprenticeship program where students enroll and earn certifications for things like engineering, IT and nursing.

“I am in the ITP program,” Bradley said. “[IT] entails coding, programming and right now we’re working on web design, so throughout my years, I have become proficient in general [code], Java, Python, C++, other coding languages, and right now, I’m learning to code an HTML, which is a web design website builder.”

Bradley said that being a part of Excel TECC allowed him to get ahead in his certifications for IT, so he can skip certain courses in college and could make himself more appealing to employers due to already having the certifications needed, before most students do.

“This will be my second year,” Bradley said. “I started Excel TECC my junior year. I’m hoping to graduate with my certifications and my college credits.

Bradley said he was originally supposed to be a facilitator in the webinar.

“I was supposed to introduce everybody, and give the: ‘hi, how are you doing today.’” Bradley said. “But, I was a part of the team that built that webinar.”

Torgov also takes part in the Excel TECC ITP program. Torgov was also a facilitator in the previous webinar.

“Our webinars, where we present multiple corporations and the opportunities they offer to young people joining the workforce, are a really cool project that I have the privilege of helping produce,” Torgov said. “We’re actually hosting many webinars, and have different roles in leading each one.”

Torgov also facilitated a webinar presentation for Nestle on Oct. 17.

“I feel like standard classrooms, both at school and in college, although they can be very helpful for some, did not give me what Excel TECC did,” Torgov said. “I think engaging with professionals and certifications that are relevant to the field as it is today is very important, and something that simple coding classes can’t provide.”

Ronald Suchy, the IT and Programming director at Mayfield for Excel TECC, said that students in the program develop tools that will help them in IT and in the workforce overall.

“It helps them apply a number of technical skills they developed in our Excel TECC Information Technology & Programming Pre-Apprenticeship Program,” Suchy said. “As well as build and apply their personal and workplace skills, including communication, decision making, leadership, teamwork, planning, organizing and managing a project and working with a diverse team of interns from across Greater Cleveland.”

Suchy said the Excel TECC program is great because students get help with the cost of college and get ahead of others in the workforce.

“Given the excessive costs of going to college, an Excel TECC graduate has the ability to earn significant money and gain experience while working in their chosen career pathway during their post-secondary collegiate career,” Suchy said.