Career and technical education means more than learning a trade like welding or carpentry.
Its also about internships and taking a creative approach to education. Its about forming partnerships with other school districts, colleges and businesses.
In the end, its about helping students achieve success in a career that suits their interests and talents, so they can become productive members of society, Melissa Stiffler, CTE coordinator for the district, said.
Everybody wants to make a difference, no matter what field you are in, Stiffler said.
USD 257 tries to inspire students to higher learning through a variety of ways.
At the Regional Rural Technology Center at LaHarpe, students can earn certificates in welding, construction trades and wind energy technology. They can use those certificates to go straight into the workforce or continue their education.
Students also can take similar programs at other districts. This year, Iola High School has one student attending an automotive technology class at Garnett.
USD 257 also has been working to introduce an allied health program that would allow students to become a certified nursing assistant (CNA). Such a program is in high demand by area hospitals and nursing facilities, desperate for such skilled workers. The districts CTE leaders had been working with Allen Community College to begin such a program.
But after ACC failed to recruit an instructor, it ceded the program to Neosho County Community College, which has an established nursing program.
Allied health classes could start in Iola as early as next fall, if NCCC can organize it in time.
That type of collaborative approach among area community colleges is one way educators are finding solutions to long-standing problems, Stiffler said.
Instructors from Fort Scott Community College, NCCC and Cloud County Community College all teach at the Regional Tech Center.
Another example of collaborative solutions also can be seen in the types of tech programs now offered.
Todays tech programs have evolved to include more academic content and opportunities. Wood shop and auto mechanics have evolved to include more applied learning techniques to educate students in more ways and keep them interested in furthering their education.
In 2012, then-Gov. Sam Brownback announced a plan to spend $20.5 million to help schools develop more CTE programs. The initiative, Excel in CTE, pays the tuition for high school students who take technical education courses as well as the cost for districts to transport students to and from those classes.
