Thursday, January 25, 2024
CTE Month, held every February, is all about building awareness of the people and programs that are helping ensure that our students are career ready. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction would like to help recognize the teachers, coordinators, administrators, and community members who give their time and creativity to doing just that. Our readers are in the best position to know these people. Do you know someone who deserves a pat on the back, a “thanks,” a “good job,” for the amazing work they have done to advance students’ career readiness? If so, please share your shout-out with us by February 6 so we can lift them up in the February CTE Newsroom, or through the DPI Facebook or X (formerly Twitter) feeds. Make their day!
Local awareness of your CTE program is key to its support. Yet often, people in the community do not know about CTE. Here’s a breakdown of who should be aware of CTE, what it is, and its role in career readiness.
- Students. Let students know about the many options they have for exploring careers—whether that’s through CTE courses, work-based learning opportunities, or the career and technical student organizations (CTSOs) your school sponsors: DECA, FBLA, FCCLA, FFA, HOSA, or SkillsUSA.
- Non-CTE teachers. All teachers are in a position to help guide students in career conversations. Even more, by offering a real-world application of their academic subject, they may better engage students in class by offering “math for engineers,” for example.
- Parents. Do parents in your district know that there options for their students to explore careers in high school, such as industry-recognized credentials, dual-credit courses, work-based learning opportunities, and CTSOs? Do they know these options can save their students time and money?
- Employers and other community members. Many employers want to help but do not know how. Help them introduce students to careers through classroom presentations, company tours, and other career-based learning experiences is very helpful. They might even want to offer work-based learning opportunities. Make sure they are aware of your CTE program.
- Leaders (town council members, mayors, legislators, editors). These community leaders have the business contacts and funding access to support CTE and ultimately grow future employees and the Wisconsin economy.
In other words, just about everyone can help build your program. How can they become aware? Explore the CTE Toolkit. It is chock full of practical ideas to bring awareness to your CTE program. Take a look and then shout out!