Tomorrow marks the beginning of Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month®, a public awareness campaign that takes place each February to celebrate the value of CTE programs across the country. These programs are particularly valuable to Craven Community College (Craven CC), which serves an ever-widening range of students with a diverse selection of programs and opportunities.
The journey toward a new career starts at different times for everyone. For some, the journey begins with college courses taken right after high school or later in life as a second career. For others, the journey begins as early as eighth grade with Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes offered at Craven County Schools.
Craven Community College will join Craven County Schools and local businesses Tuesday, Feb. 6 for a Career and Technical Education (CTE) Expo at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center. Held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., this event provides middle school students with opportunities to meet representatives from Craven CC, as well as local employers.
Students attending the CTE expo will discover 10 different career clusters, including agriculture, business, family and consumer science, health science, marketing, engineering, automotive, public safety (EMT, fire) and woodworking.
“Our hope is to show students the pathway from here to a career,” said Chris Bailey, Craven County Schools CTE director. “They’ll talk with our faculty and see how that progresses to Craven Community College. And then we’ll have local businesses here to discuss the career opportunities and industries that might be available to them in that field.”
Craven Community College works closely with Craven County Schools’ CTE program year-round to provide opportunities for students to earn stackable credentialing, certificates and post-secondary degrees faster. Provided to the students at no additional cost, the CTE program gives students a head start on technical skills and training that can prepare them for high-wage jobs in the immediate community.
“Students are allowed to explore career pathways at a pivotal age,” said Gery Boucher, Craven CC vice president for students. “Being exposed to career and technical education this early in their learning allows students to expand the timeline they’re given to find a career path that’s right for them. The students see that hands-on learning and technical training can be fun and exciting.”
February also marks the start of several Workforce Development courses at Craven CC that help adult students improve job skills and enhance career options through new skills and technical knowledge. While these courses do not provide college credit, students interested in expanding their career and technical knowledge can take courses in February that focus on technical training such as medical careers construction and more.
The construction program at Craven CC continues to expand with training that includes a National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) certification in electrical, plumbing, HVAC and welding. This certification allows students to log classroom hours and job site hours that may be compiled and credited toward those students becoming master carpenters or receiving a journeyman’s license.
Other Workforce Development programs currently enrolling at Craven Community College include EMT Basic, Pharmacy Tech, Nurse Aid, Barbering, Commercial Truck Driving and the Airframe and Powerplant Aviation Maintenance Technician.
Craven Community College has expanded its workforce development offering to include a new Grant Writing class. This workshop emphasizes first-hand practical experience to teach skills on how to apply for grants, find funding sources, write a needs statement, construct a budget, develop an action plan and more.
Other programs currently offered through Craven CC workforce development include Aviation Sheet Metal, Tools for Advanced Manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma, Diving, Computer Classes, Notary Public, Phlebotomy, Forklift, Real Estate and Veterinary Assistant.
For more information about upcoming workforce development programs, career programs, and other offerings at Craven CC, visit www.cravencc.edu/programs.