On February 2, 2017, the Center for Career and Workforce Programs hosted a Career Technical Education (CTE) Partnership Event that invited CTE high school teachers, coordinators and administration from local high school feeder districts: Jefferson Union High School and South San Francisco Unified School District. This event aimed to create deeper and thoughtful partnerships, alignment, and relationships that will ultimately bring new and exciting opportunities for students. This was the first in a series of ongoing events that intends to support CTE pathway transitions from high school to community college programs.
Aaron McVean, Interim Vice President of Instruction, provided a warm welcome to the participants while Andrea Vizenor, Center for Career and Workforce Programs Director, facilitated and led the event’s discussions while touching upon the current state of CTE development in K-12 and post-secondary education.
CTE Participants were separated by their career pathway/sector area to engage in focus activities such the following: CTE program alignment, identifying opportunities to advance articulation, dual enrollment, and collaborative professional development experiences. CTE participants mapped out their high school and community college “dream” course sequence, and brainstormed their interests in professional development training looking at industry-focused innovation subject matter expertise and training in innovative instructional delivery practices. The CTE Partnership event concluded with a mini tour of various Skyline College CTE programs such as the “Fab Lab” (Fabrication Lab) in Building 7, Biotechnology lab and the Solar and Building Lab located in Pacific Heights.
Sectors represented were Automotive Technology, Biotechnology, Culinary Arts/Hopspitality and Digital Arts, Early Childhood Education, Electronics and Technology, Energy Systems Management, Fashion Design, Computer Science/Network Engineering, Photography, and Wood Technology.
The Center for Career and Workforce Programs would like to extend a special thank you to the following: Aaron McVean for the continuous support of CTE advancement, Karen Gnusti, Director of Career Tech. Ed and College Readiness, Jefferson Union High School District and Dianna Ariani, CTE Coordinator, South San Francisco Unified School District for their commitment to this work and efforts in supporting our partnerships, as well as, Sharon Turner, K-14 Pathways – Regional Technical Assistance Provider, for providing funding for this event and additional activities to strengthen K-12 and community college partnerships.
For more information or if you would like to take part in future CTE partnership events, please contact Andrea Vizenor, Director of the Center of Career and Workforce Programs at vizenora@smccd.edu.
Article By Elizabeth Tablan | Photos by William Nacouzi
