Middle School Students Attend Career Programs Expo

Aldine ISD and the Career and the Technical Education (CTE) Department recently hosted the annual Career Programs Expo at the M.O. Campbell Educational Center.

The event is designed for AISD middle school students enrolled in the Exploring Careers course. The Career Programs Expo allows students to be exposed to the different fields of study offered at the ninth grade and high school campuses. There are also a number of areas where students can obtain certification prior to graduating from high school.

CTE offers an opportunity to engage students in an enormous variety of subjects, incorporating academic, creative and technical skills. The CTE program’s main goal is to prepare students for life after high school.

CTE can be an integral part of every student’s education so that all students graduate from high school globally competitive for work and prepared for post-secondary education.

According to Angela Whorton, program director of CTE, career exploration and life skills planning form the foundation of the district’s program.

“Students benefit from learning about the world of work and planning for their education accordingly,” said Whorton. “CTE classes are offered in many different fields.”

CTE Programs
Agricultural, Food & Natural Resources
Architecture & Construction
Arts, AV Technology & Communication
Business Management & Administration
Education
Finance
Health Science
Hospitality & Tourism
Human Services
Information Technology
Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security
Marketing
Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM)
Transportation, Distribution & Logistics

CTE classes integrate academics with technical skill development to help prepare students for higher-level courses in college or prepare them for a cooperative work-study (to fulfill course requirement) and employment.

Whorton added that there are a a variety of job options — some of them very well-paid jobs — available to those who further their education and training after high school. In addition to careers that require a bachelor’s degree (typically a 4-year degree), there are some careers that only require a two-year degree that can be obtained from community and technical colleges.

The CTE program also offers a number of certifications that students can obtain such as nurse assistant certification, cosmetology licenses, emergency medical technician certification, pharmacy technician certification, ServSafe food safety certification, and Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Word Certification.

“It is not unusual to hear from former students who inform us that the certification helped them find employment that helped them pay for college or that it has aided them in helping their families financially,” related Whorton.

At the annual Career Programs Expo, middle school students have an opportunity to talk with the CTE program teachers and students from the high school campuses.

“The CTE high school students always do a great job of explaining curriculum expectations, their reasons for choosing their program of study and they also share their career goals with their younger peers.”

Visit the [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]CTE website for more information.

Below are images from the Career Programs Expo.