Career and technical education helps bridge gap between classroom and career
SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - February marks Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, and schools across the country, including locally in the Utica Community Schools District, are showcasing their innovative programs aimed at preparing students for the workforce.
"It's skills that they're going to use," said Jeff Kment, an automotive technologies teacher at Eisenhower High School. "We get a number of students who want to be auto mechanics. We get a number of students who like cars. We get a number of students who have different goals and aspirations and want something different in their schedule.
"The programs are always full; we never have a shortage of students."
CTE programs work to bridge the gap between classroom learning and workforce demands.
According to a new analysis by PeopleReady Skilled Trades, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a skilled labor shortage that companies are still struggling with today. The data shows that as workers continue to age out of the skilled trades, fewer people enter the field.
Teachers and staff at Eisenhower hope students like Jacob Kohl will help change this reality as he gains hands-on experience and learns industry-specific skills.
"It feels really good seeing what you did with your own hands," Kohl said. "It all comes together when the light turns on."
Even when things don't work on the first try, Kohl says these classes are all about troubleshooting and learning as you go.
"It's nice to know where to look and what to be looking for," he said.
The skills gained are transferable and applicable at school, on the job, and at home.
"We go beyond just theoretical," said Geoffrey Clark, Director of CTE for Utica Community Schools. "We actually get the students to explore that career, understand if it's something that they want to do prior to leaving our schools."