AUBURN – Central Maine Technical College’s first summer session for 2003 will begin on May 12. It is an opportunity for people to spend a few weeks during the summer to learn new skills or pursue an interest.

For those planning to start college in the fall, it can be a head start on required coursework. Courses carry college credits and most can be applied to a degree program at CMTC or another accredited college or university. The cost ranges from $255 to $276 a course, plus text books. There are prerequisites for some courses.

Courses are available in the evenings or during the days; most will end by July 4. Evening courses are available in word processing, computer technology (Introduction to Visual Basic, Operating Systems, Integrated Software, Linux Operating System, Networks, Web Development), early childhood education (Education of Children with Special Needs), English (College Writing, American Literature), mathematics (Algebra (Algebra I, Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra, Business Math, Geometry and Trigonometry), critical thinking and psychology (Introduction to Psychology, Child Development).

There are daytime courses in business and computer applications (Introduction to Computer Applications, Spreadsheets, Database Management, Applied Visual Basic), business (Principles of Supervision), computer technology (Integrated Software), English and the humanities (College Writing, Technical Writing, Technology and Society, Interpersonal Communications), social science (Economics, Introduction to Sociology) and microbiology. Construction Health and Safety Management is available online.

A second summer session will begin June 10, with courses starting as late as June 30. Those courses will include Introduction to Computer Applications, speech and a new offering in history, “The Washburns of Livermore, Maine.”

Registration is under way and can be done over the telephone (with a major credit card) at 755-5292 or 1-800-891-2002, in person or by mail. The registration form may be found at www.cmtc.net.