The Northwest Suburban High School District 214 students soon may get new career help during the 2010-11 school year.

Thursday night, the school board discussed the course catalog for next school year. Two of the new classes would provide an opportunity for students to become certified with the National Institute for Metalworking Skills Inc.

The two classes would focus on tooling and machining technology and computer numerical control manufacturing. They would be offered only at Wheeling High School, but transportation would be provided so students from all schools in the district could take advantage of them.

Superintendent David Schuler said the industrial park in Elk Grove Village and Des Plaines has 55 vacancies in the tool and die industry and can't find qualified applicants. He said these classes are a good opportunity for students who are not going to a four-year university but are looking for a career out of high school.

"This is an opportunity for us to address a need in our community and give our students a leg up in the application process," Schuler said. "Those members of the industrial park corporations are ecstatic to join in on our advisory groups to partner with us to work on these because they want first crack at our kids."

Schuler said tools and machinery have been sold to the district at a very reasonable price by a local company that was going out of business. He said the district has been working with the industries to look at what skills the companies think are important.

Staff have had training last summer and will train next summer to complete NIMS certification to teach the classes.

Board member Robert Zimmack said this industry was once going to the wayside, but skilled people are still needed in the field.

"There are still companies that require tool and die makers and machinists and this again is expanding our vocational education program," he said.

The board will formally vote on the new course catalog at the Nov. 19 meeting.