February is Career and Technical Education Month

February is Career and Technical Education Month

 Recognizing Classroom Innovators!

by Denise Guy

 Students and faculty at Abilene High School are joining others across the nation during the month of February to celebrate national Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month. This year’s theme is Recognizing Classroom Innovators! CTE Month provides programs across the country an opportunity to demonstrate how CTE educates students to be college- and career- ready and prepares them for high-wage, high-demand career fields. According to Deb Farr, FACS instructor and the lead CTE teacher, “Among the special activities scheduled this month are open house tours of AHS’s Career and Tech classrooms on February 19, 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. Tours will begin outside the office at 6:00, and 7:30 and will be lead by CTE students. 

Mrs. Farr also explained, “The activities planned this month illustrate the rigor and relevance CTE courses offer our students. By partnering with the business community, CTE programs are investing in students’ lives with the latest technology and skills that will prepare them to become successful employees as well as future leaders.”

According to the Kansas State Department of Education, Kansas has gained recognition for being a leading force in career and technical education in the nation. This is due in part to the fact that CTE courses and related organizations, Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO), promote career and college readiness. Materials from the state further explain that CTE provides instruction in technical knowledge and skills that aligns to the workforce needs of Kansas and the Nation. Academic knowledge, technical training, and employability skills intersect in sixteen unique ways to promote successful transition from secondary to postsecondary and ultimately to the world of work.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that nearly one-third of the fastest growing occupations will require an associate’s degree or a postsecondary vocational certificate.

At a time when job opportunity is so critical, CTE programs in our community are ensuring students are adequately equipped with the skills to successfully enter the workforce.

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