Monday, January 28, 2013

New CTE, Old "VOC"

New CTE, old “VOC”
The Concord Regional Technical Center is an Economic Engine

Like the old advertisement that said this is not your father’s Oldsmobile, Career and Technical Education (CTE) is not your father’s or mother’s vocational education. The Concord “Voc” that many of you grew up with does not resemble what you experienced or perceived decades ago. Career and Technical Education is a competitive and robust option for high school students who want to be prepared for college and careers.

The Concord Regional Technical Center (CRTC) as a public career and technical high school, offers a tremendous opportunity for students attending any of the nine regional high schools we serve to become considerably more college and workforce competitive upon graduation.

Far too often I hear adults praising the major benefits of career and technical education for the reason that not every kid can or will go to college -- and thank goodness -- they have something. The truth could not be further from this perception. We service an extremely diverse student body. Almost every one of our students is planning his or her postsecondary future; and it may be argued, our students are considerably more focused on where they are heading when compared non-CTE students.

A student graduating one of our programs has two years of experience under their belt; in addition, in many cases they have earned credits for two or more college classes and have earned industry certificates like an LNA license or an OSHA Safety Card upon completing one of our programs When one of our students applies to a post-secondary institution they can write about their 9 week internship in a local car dealership or their 12+ week internship as a student teacher. Our students also have stories to tell because they’ve trained on some of the newest and best industry equipment and have gained confidence in doing so.

Our students are well ahead of the game. In most cases, they don’t risk wasting money or taking on excessive loans exploring untested post-secondary options, many already know what they want because they’ve had a extensive taste of it already. They have focus and have begun to build a pathway to their future.

A new program slated for next year allows student to earn their Firefighter I certificate as well as college credits at the same time. This exciting program is offered in partnership with the Concord Fire Department. The instructors will be certified fire professionals.

Our students are going to study such post-secondary tracks as: automotive technology, physical therapy, graphic design, programming, welding, elementary education, criminology, cosmetology, and baking to name a few. For example, we are especially proud of a number of our Culinary Arts students who have been accepted and enrolled in Bachelor’s Programs at Culinary Institute of America and New England Culinary Institute, considered to be two of the finest culinary schools in the country.

We believe our students possess a significant head start on post-secondary education when compared to non-CTE student. For example, almost all of our eligible programs offer dual enrollment college courses. In addition, our programs are carefully linked to college classes through written understanding called articulation agreements. Our CRTC students are regularly coached by their instructors on the value of continuing their education. We have frequent college visits and regular conversations about “next year”. Our instructors take great pride in their efforts to connect with every student. It is very personal.

In the 2011 report, “Pathways to Prosperity” published by Harvard University, Career and Technical Education is praised as a very competitive, highly regarded option. The report stresses that aiming to have every student go to college is a worthy goal, but not necessarily of value or realizable to our nation if every student in fact went to and graduated college with a mix of bachelor’s degrees. Often we hear the word college and think four-year degree, but the term ‘college’ extends to 2-year degree and trade certificates. This is a shift in thinking for many of us.

“Pathways to Prosperity” emphasized that we need graduates with college thinking skills, but also with technical skills valuable to the 21st century high-value workplaces. The report references underemployment. Meaning we have jobs that are not filled due to not enough skilled trained workers being available. The report emphasizes expanding our national vision to include a renewed emphasis on technical skills at the secondary and postsecondary level is necessary in order for this country to remain competitive. For many of you in industry including our local partners, this is common sense and not a surprise.

Add it all up and you may conclude, as we have, that this might be the “right” time for career and technical education. We continue to grow and refine our operations, while increasing rigor throughout. The diversity and the quality of our offerings, along with our skilled instructors, is meeting the needs of a very wide span of regional high school students. Come check us out. You will be impressed.

The Concord Regional Technical Center is a public school embedded in Concord High School serving high school students living in the majority of the Capital Region cities and towns including: Allenstown. Andover, Boscawen, Bow, Bradford, Chichester, Concord, Deerfield, Deering, Epsom, Henniker, Hillsboro, Hopkinton, Loudon, Newbury. New London, Pembroke, Penacook (MVHS), Pittsfield, Salisbury, Springfield, Sutton, Warner. Washington, Weare, Webster, Wilmot, and Windsor. Students attend our elective programs as a supplement to their regular high school curriculum and still graduate from their home high school. February is sign up for CTE month.


by Steve Rothenberg, Director

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