BIDDEFORD — Biddeford Regional Center of Technology will be holding an open house for prospective students and their parents this evening from 4-7:30 p.m. BRCOT provides career and technical education for students from Biddeford, Kennebunk and Old Orchard Beach high schools, as well as Thornton Academy.

At the open house, students and parents will be able to meet with instructors to discuss BRCOT’s programs and the opportunities those programs provide students as they transition into adulthood.

BRCOT is a regional career and technical education school where students learn occupational skills and gain knowledge to make better decisions regarding their working lives after high school. Students attend a COT program for half of the school day and attend their own high schools for the other half to complete their academic program. Courses are designed to give students skills to enter the workforce or further their education. A majority of the graduates continue their training and education, while some prefer to enter full-time employment.

Many of these programs offer occupational certifications and college credits from a variety of

Maine colleges.

The following programs are designed to be completed in two years: auto body repair, auto mechanics, building construction, electrical technology, precision machining technology, and welding and metal fabrication. Students would enroll as juniors in these programs. Juniors and seniors may enroll in these one-year programs, as well: business and financial management, business information technology, early childhood education, engineering/architecture and drafting, the health assistant/CNA program, intro to medical sciences, legal studies and the medical assistant program.