CTE gives students a glimpse into life after school

What do you want to be when you grow up? That’s a difficult question for many teens to answer, and for many adults for that matter. The Burke County Public School’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program aims to give students real-world experiences to help them explore a variety of career options.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has identified 16 clusters with multiple career pathways under each category.

Career pathways

• Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
• Architecture and Construction
• Arts, A/V Technology, and Communications
• Business Management and Administration
• Education and Training
• Finance
• Government and Public Administration
• Health Science
• Hospitality and Tourism
• Human Services
• Information Technology
• Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security
• Manufacturing
• Marketing
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
• Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics

February is designated nationally as CTE Month, a public awareness campaign to celebrate CTE, the accomplishments of CTE programs, and the importance of CTE for all students of all ages.

“CTE is important for all students,” said Amy Shuping, the school district’s CTE coordinator. “They need to be exposed to career options.”

The program goes beyond providing a window into the world of various professions. Career development coordinators at high schools, like Crystal McKinney at Freedom High School, challenge students to consider the next steps they may need to take.

“Do you want to gain certification? Do you want an associate degree? Do you want a four-year degree? We have programs in place that can help them achieve their goals,” McKinney said.

Students can take career-based classes at their home school, another high school, and/or at Western Piedmont Community College. At most high schools, about half of seniors take required classes for a concentration in a particular field.

CTE programs are also offered at middle schools through interest surveys, industry tours, and career fairs. Fifth graders participate in Agriculture Day, which will next occur on March 23.

CTE programs benefit the community

Many of the CTE classes benefit the community as well as the students. The construction classes, for example, partner with Foothills Service Project to build and repair structures for those in the community in need. Earlier in February, construction students built a wheelchair ramp for a disabled person’s home.

“Foothills Service Project will call when they have something for us,” said Scott Brackett, one of the construction teachers at Freedom High. “We will put together a materials list, a basic drawing, and dimensions of the project. We buy everything locally and build (whatever is requested) in the classroom. Then we disassemble it into sections and transport everything to the site. We then do the install.”

Prior to COVID-19, the school district would buy a vacant lot every two years and provide materials. The CTE classes would then build a home to sell upon completion. Everything from site work to masonry to carpentry to interior design was all handled by CTE students under the watchful eyes of their teachers. Burke County is one of the few districts in the state that would take on a project of such magnitude, and Brackett hopes the practice can restart in the future.

The sale of the house would cover the interest-free loan taken to complete the project and any remainder would go back into the program.

“For example, we bought a skid steer with the funds from selling the last house,” Brackett said. He’s in his first year of teaching at Freedom but has taught at all four high schools beginning at Patton High School in 2009.

Planting the seed for the future

A group of high school juniors measured, remeasured, and cut lumber. The trio will be among others from their school and around the region to compete in the Construction Rodeo on March 22. As they worked, they said what they are doing in class will translate into their lives after graduation.

Blaze Cobb first considered signing up for construction when he had taken required courses for his junior year but still had open class time.

“It’s something I really enjoy,” he said. “It’s hands-on and I enjoy working with power tools.” His interest has been piqued so much so that he sees the construction industry as a potential career path. He is also taking firefighter classes through CTE and sees a future as a firefighter and welder.

His classmate Corbin Chase sees a future where he will make his living in masonry.

Ben Brockland said “every little bit” of what he is learning will be valuable for his post-graduate life. He plans to continue and grow the family farm, a cow-calf operation and hay producer.

“I’ll need to fix equipment, braces of fences … I could build a barn if I need to,” he said.

Internship opportunities on the horizon

For the second year, the school district’s CTE program is partnering with Work in Burke, a shared project of Burke Development Inc. and The Industrial Commons.

The mission of Work in Burke is to increase post-secondary credential attainment and make local workforce connections by providing mentorship and education about skilled pathways to gainful employment for students and individuals in Burke County.

On Wednesday, March 1, the partnership will host Opt-In (Opportunity Internships) where interested seniors can learn about possible internships offered through area businesses.

The Opt-In program is a win-win. Students can get real-world experience that can lead to a fulfilling career and businesses can grow their own employee base.

“The demand for skilled labor is out there,” Shuping said.

Angela Kuper Copeland is the education reporter at The Paper. She may be reached at angela@thepaper.media or 828-445-8595.