Career and Technical Education (CTE)
Charlotte County Public Schools embraces the concept of career and technical education for all students and provides counseling, highly-qualified teachers, technology-rich labs, an expansive curriculum, and many support services for students in K-12.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) prepares Charlotte County students for a wide range of careers, from nurses to computer technicians, and hundreds of careers in between! When community visioning sessions were conducted several years ago, it became apparent that parents, students, and community business partners wanted to enhance the CTE programs in all schools. CTE was seen as a direct link to careers, post secondary training, or the military and helped to give the students clear goals for their future. And, research from 1950 to the present clearly indicates that 70% of jobs do not require a four-year degree. A one-to two-year career/technical certification opens the door in many career fields and may serve as a stepping stone to higher level careers or further education.
This long-range vision has now become a reality. Every school in the district has CTE programs in place. These programs are based on the 17 career clusters that the state of Florida uses to plan course offerings:
Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
Architecture & Construction
Arts, A/V Technology & Communications
Business, Management & Administration
Education & Training
Energy
Finance
Government & Public Administration
Health Science
Hospitality & Tourism
Human Services
Information Technology
Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security
Manufacturing
Marketing, Sales & Service
Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM)
Transportation, Distribution & Logistics
As early as Kindergarten, students begin work in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math labs (Elementary STEM). The curriculum in these labs leads to the Middle School STEM lab modules. In 8th grade students study all the career clusters and then develop a four-year plan based on the clusters and their Major Area of Interest. An invaluable web site for parents and students to use is www.FACTS.org. This site will guide the student through the process of creating his/her own ePEP (Electronic Personal Education Plan) for high school.
Each of the high schools has Career Clusters that feature a wide array of course selections and career paths. Counselors meet with students each year of high school to modify the plan as student's career interest changes.
There is also an opportunity for students to attend Charlotte Technical Center during their junior and senior year as a dual enrollment student. The Center specializes in CTC courses, licensure and certificate programs, and job placement for students upon program completion. Students may articulate certifications into any of the Florida Community Colleges. (see a counselor for details)
CTE students also have an opportunity to earn the Florida Gold Seal Scholar Award to assist with college/post secondary school tuition.
This CTE site will lead you to several resources that will assist with planning for your future.