Career Technical Education (CTE)

What is CTE?

Career Technical Education is a program that integrates high school classes, community connections, work-based learning, and postsecondary planning and training. The goal of CTE is to support learners on their path to high-wage, high skill, in-demand careers in established and emerging industries. CTE is not your mom-and-pop woodshop course. CTE programs connect learners with the skills, mind-set, and knowledge base needed for college and high-demand careers. CTE is personalized. Learners choose their industry sector and the pathway that best aligns with their interests and passions, ensuring the experience is meaningful and relevant to each learner’s goals.

How Does CTE Work?

There are 15 high-demand industry sectors and multiple career pathways within each industry sector. Learners will sign up for a career pathway their freshman or sophomore year of high school and take three years of coursework within that pathway, in addition to relevant internship and work-based learning, student associations and clubs, career and college exploration and preparation, and industry certifications. Learners who complete all three years of coursework receive an additional certificate of completion, recognition at graduation, and postgraduation support. Many CTE courses also count toward the school’s graduation requirements and UC/CSU admissions requirements.

Is CTE just for high school?

Learners experience different industry sectors and career pathways through their projects in 7th and 8th grade. These feeder experiences, or exploratory workshops, allow learners to enter a career pathway in high school with prior experience and confidence in their interest in that pathway. Experiences such as the Glider Project, Entrepreneurship Fairs or Shark Tank projects, Coding and Game Design, school gardening and agriculture, theatre, and photography all have the potential to inspire a learner to work toward that profession through a CTE pathway.

How is CTE different at SCVi?

Career and Technical education courses are true practice for the project-based real world. Learners use the same principles of iLEAD’s project-based learning model to apply skills and knowledge to real-world problems as they relate to the industry sector of their pathway. This mimics the workplace, gives learners voice and choice, and makes the learning meaningful and fun. Learners step into professional roles, learn work-related skills, and acquire new knowledge through projects that demonstrate necessary competencies for success.

Benefits of CTE:

• High school credits toward graduation and UC requirements
• Potential for college credits earned in high school
• Industry certifications for career
• Internships and work-based learning opportunities
• College/career digital portfolio for college admissions and career opportunities

Current CTE Pathways at SCVi