FEBRUARY IS CTE MONTH
FEBRUARY IS CTE MONTH
The Clare-Gladwin Regional Education Service District’s Career & Technical Education program is recognizing all its students and supporters in celebration of CTE Month in February.
“CTE has a demonstratable positive impact in Clare and Gladwin Counties – on students, on employers, and on the local economy,” said CTE Director Eric Johnson. “Across the state in February, people are recognizing the crucial role CTE plays in developing the careers of so many young people.”
CTE serves 300-plus students from Beaverton, Clare, Farwell, Gladwin and Harrison, helping train them for careers in hands-on fields like construction, education, manufacturing, health and several more. Juniors and seniors spend half of their school day in CTE classrooms and labs, gaining skills, experience and certifications that make them attractive to employers.
“It’s an exciting time for CTE,” Johnson said. “We’re in the heart of recruitment season, talking to 10th- and 11th-graders and getting them signed up for next fall’s classes. We’ve just got a lot of big things going on in the next few weeks.”
Those activities include:
Twenty-one students have qualified to compete in the state finals of the Health Occupations Students of America Leadership Conference, held in Traverse City at the end of the month. They’re competing in knowledge sectors such as Pharmacy Science, CPR/First Aid and Medical Assistant.
Construction Trades students continue their year-long project of building a modular home at the John C. Magnus Center, home to four CTE programs. The two-section house, which is being built as a project for Clare County Habitat for Humanity, will be transported to its permanent residence at the end of the school year when students have finished construction.
Public excitement continues to grow around 24-Carrot Take-Out, a café in downtown Harrison run by students in CTE’s Culinary Arts program. Open Fridays, the menu offers a range of healthy items, including gluten- and dairy-free choices.
And while it’s technically taking place after CTE Month on March 15, preparations are already underway for the return of the CTE Reverse Job Fair, in which more than 225 CTE students seeking summer and full-time work will meet with prospective employers at the Magnus Center. An Open House will also be held, allowing community members to get an up-close look at CTE classrooms and labs.
“The Reverse Job Fair presents a great opportunity for kids to not only sharpen their interview skills, but to potentially nail down an actual job in the field they’re studying,” Johnson said. “The last time we held it, more than 45 employers participated, and we’d love to see even more this year. If employers are looking for energetic workers who have learned their craft from professionals and earned industry certifications, they shouldn’t miss this opportunity.”
Learn more about all of CTE’s activities by visiting CTEitsWorking.com, searching ‘ClareGladwinCTE’ on Facebook or calling 989.386.9334.