Athens ISD

▲ Instructor Cody McCleary works with CTE students at Athens Middle School.

Middle school opens pathway for eighth graders to skilled trades career options

by Autumn Rhea Carpenter

Athens ISD

County: Henderson ESC region: 10 Superintendent: Dr. Janie Sims 2020 enrollment: 3,128 Number of schools: 5

As America continues to face an unprecedented skilled trades labor shortage, the jobs of the future could be the jobs of the past: carpentry, plumbing and electrical work. Skilled trades jobs that often offer higher pay and on-the-job training might be the promising career choices for many people choosing a career path. According to a study conducted between May and June of 2020 by the industrial staffing company PeopleReady, there were 388,345 jobs posted for skilled trades workers — a 50% increase from prepandemic days. Most of the positions remained unfilled for 24 days due to a lack of qualified applicants. In response to this labor shortage, many schools are offering Career Technical Education (CTE), an education pathway that provides students with the academic, technical and real-world knowledge, skills and experience they need to be prepared for a variety of career options. In 2020, Athens ISD began exploring the possibility of adding CTE courses for Athens Middle School (AMS) eighth graders. The plan was to have students enter high school ready to jump into CTE courses and start earning their certifications faster and earlier than previously possible. The district analyzed which courses were offered at the high school and which instructors at both schools had open spots in their course load.

▲ An Athens Middle School student works on building a bench in a CTE class.

“In monitoring student requests in CTE programs at the high school level, we noticed the numbers continuing to increase. We conducted an interest inventory at AMS to gauge the level of interest if CTE courses were an option,” says Superintendent Janie Sims. “Knowing that early exposure can often lead to in-demand, high-wage careers, we next had to see if there was enough room in the budget to make this happen. Some of our existing CTE teachers, or other teachers who held certification in a CTE course, had room in their schedules to be able to teach a class. This gave the district an excellent opportunity to pilot a few CTE classes without adding additional staff.” “Our hope in adding CTE classes was to help students find ways to plug in to the school and see their paths more clearly before entering high school,” says AMS Principal Jennifer Risinger. “We offer the traditional band, sports, art and choir but that does not always appeal to all students. In 2020, we were trying to increase elective and club opportunities to help students make meaningful connections to the school.” The middle school level CTE courses include Principles of Construction, Principles of Hospitality and Tourism, and Principles of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (AFNR). Ward Wilbanks, AST/CTE director at Athens High School, explains how these courses prepare middle school students for high school. “These classes lay the foundation for more advanced courses that students will take as they progress through their high school careers,” he says. “These classes give a broad overview of the content area but help to guide students into more specialized tracts. For example, Principles of Construction could lead to Construction Technology, HVAC, or Electrical Technology, and Principles of Agriculture could lead to Plant Science, Animal Science or Agriculture Mechanics.”

Principles of Construction is a one-year, eighth-grade course that covers basic shop safety, the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) to wear, how to use hand tools and power tools and how to read a tape measure. Wilbanks says students’ favorite project was building a cedar double chair bench, which required them to follow plans using various hand and power tools. The assignment required the students to read the plans and assemble the bench. They used rough-cut cedar and cut it into the various required lengths. When they finished assembling the bench with screws, they sanded it down with palm sanders to give it a finished look. Two of the benches are now displayed in the middle school’s front office. “We’re trying with my class to grow students’ interest in the construction trade,” says teacher Cody McCleary. “Before you can take HVAC or a construction class or welding, you have to take a basic principles class. Now students can start sooner and have the option to take more classes.” “I’m surprised how fast the program is growing and how excited the students are to learn to build something,” he adds. “They have taught me that even though they are young, when given the opportunity to learn these trade skills, they can perform them just as well as someone who is out of school. This is our second year to offer this course and the enrollment numbers have already doubled to include 20 male students and four female students.” At 15 years old, Diego Pinedo completed the Principles in Construction course and says his favorite project was building a picnic table. “I learned how much work goes into a small project,” he says. “There were a lot of angles to cut, and I learned that even a small angle that isn’t measured right can mess up the whole project.” Pinedo learned how to measure and pay attention to details but mostly he learned about independence. “The hands-on parts of the class gave me confidence and I realized that I was capable of creating on my own. I’ve been working with my dad in construction and the class helped. I can see myself working in construction in the future and maybe even starting my own business.” Student Aaliya Pinedo Ramirez is already thinking about how she can take what she’s learning now and apply it toward a future business. She also says the class is a lot of fun. “We’re learning and doing things for others, and it’s also the most fun thing at school, especially during COVID,” Aaliya says. She plans to sign up for a culinary arts class as a freshman. While tracking students’ careers is difficult after graduation, there are companies that inquire about Athens ISD graduates every year. The district conducts signing days with certain companies in the area. According to Risinger, the CTE classes have been able to integrate into the community by building projects and serving others. Offering CTE courses at the middle school level is an investment in both the students and in the Athens community. “The skills that our students obtain through CTE that give them the ability to find a good job or career is of the greatest importance,” Sims says. “The byproduct of having strong CTE course offerings (and earlier in the education process) is a trained, skilled workforce for the surrounding area. Now, more than ever, skilled workers are needed, and we feel our students will have an edge in obtaining any job because of what we offer them in Athens ISD.”

AUTUMN RHEA CARPENTER is a freelance journalist based in Portland, Oregon.

“Our hope in adding CTE classes was to help students find ways to plug in to the school and see their paths more clearly before entering high school.”