2 minute read
CTE
from BADGER NATION | Fall '22 | A Talking Glass Media publication in support of Prescott Unified Schools
Francisco Ortiz y Davis | Director of Career & Technical Education
As the students and faculty of Prescott High School draw closer to the end of the first quarter of school, we would like to highlight one of the many amazing programs available to students at PHS; Career & Technical Education or CTE. Today’s CTE programs are a far cry from the vocational programs of yesteryear. The mention of vocational education may hearken memories of wood shop and other classes designed for students who may not have been expected to go on to post-secondary education. By contrast, today’s advanced CTE system at Prescott High school highlights a well-developed partnership between Prescott Unified School District, Mountain Institute Career and Technical Education District (MICTED), and Yavapai College (YC) that offers PHS students 10 career programs on campus and at least that many more off-campus at the Career & Technical Education Center (CTEC) on Ruger Rd., YC’s Prescott Valley Campus, and more.
The benefits of these programs to our students are considerable. First and foremost are the experiences students gain with respect to both the technical skills that set them apart from others in the workforce their same age, as well as the professional skills employers look for in all employees.
Most of these two-year programs offer college credit through Yavapai College. Students earn certificates of completion from both MICTED as well as Arizona Department of Education. These accolades put students applying to college and the workforce far ahead of the competition. The proof of the benefits to CTE students are well documented. Not only is the graduation rate for CTE program completers 97.4 percent (compared to the state average of 75 percent) (ACTE, 2021), CTE program completers are more likely to enroll in post-secondary education than non-concentrators, and students who focused on career and technical education (CTE) courses while in high school had higher median annual earnings than students who did not focus on CTE (U.S. Department of Education, 2021). In the months to come, we will highlight the individual programs at Prescott High School, the stories of the students in PHS CTE, as well as the people who make it happen.
CAREER&
TECHNICAL EDUCATION
AT PRESCOTT HIGH SCHOOL
PRESCOTT HIGH SCHOOL CTE OFFERINGS
Prescott High School offers a wide array of Arizona Department of Education (ADE)-approved programs that meet the qualifications and high standards of CTE programs across the state. These programs include:
• Animation
• Automotive Technologies
• Business Management
• Digital Communications
• Fashion & Design
• Film & TV
• Air Force JROTC
• Networking & CyberSecurity
• Sports Medicine
• Computer Science
In addition to the programs offered at PHS, students may take the following classes through our partnership with MICTED and PHS:
