Say goodbye to the era when students didn’t choose a career until college. These days, after taking Career and Technical Education classes in high school and middle school, students hit the ground running with credentials and certifications in a field before they even graduate.
From sports medicine and automotive skills to 3-D animation and social media marketing, the possibilities available to students have changed with advances in technology. Students can still learn kitchen skills, like the good old days, but now they’re learning technical aspects about nutrition or taking classes that prepare them to become chefs.
In recognition of the benefits of these kinds of classes, the U.S. Department of Education and the Association for Career and Technical Education have chosen February as National CTE Month to highlight the skills students can learn while in school. Schools throughout Canyons District will host a variety of events and activities during the month.
“The public perception is that vocational education is like when they were in high school,” says Janet Goble, Canyons’ Director of Career and Technical Education. “It has become much more technical.”
Canyons CTE class offerings span a wide field of career opportunities, from digital photography and architectural design to robotics and information technology courses. While many of the classes are offered at each of the District’s five high schools, classes also are available at Canyons Technical Education Center, a magnet program for juniors and seniors. Students at CTEC can earn their Certified Nursing Assistant and Emergency Medical Technician credentials or Adobe and Microsoft computer programming certifications, among other things.
In addition to CTE activities that will be hosted at Canyons’ high schools and middle schools in February, the following events will also take place:
Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014
Healthcare Career Fair
About 100 students from Canyons District will join students from five other districts in the county to attend a health fair at Granite Technical Institute to meet health care professionals.
Friday, Feb. 21, 2014
Student Job Shadow Day
About 100 students will be paired with a professional to watch him or her in a real-world work setting. Professionals vary from veterinarians to marketers. Applications are now being accepted from students who wish to participate. Students should see their Work-Based Learning Facilitator to apply.
