Career and Technical Education in the Great Falls

CareerandTechnicalEducationintheGreatFallsPublicSchoolsYourLogoHereAnoverviewCareerandTechnicalEducationcoursesprovideacademicandtechnicalknowledgeandskillstoprepareforfurthereducationandcareersincurrentoremergingemploymentsectors.Theseprogramsfocusoncareerpreparation,resourcemanagement,communication,technicalskilldevelopment,appliedacademics,technologicalliteracy,personalskillsandleadership.OnecreditisrequiredbytheMontanaOfficeofPublicInstructionforgraduationTherearesome45highschoolandmiddleschoolteachersteaching50coursesthesefourgeneraldisciplines:BusinessFamilyandConsumerScience,HealthScience(MedPrep)IndustrialTechnologyTheneedCascadeCountyisatfullemploymentwitha2.2percentunemploymentrateTherearecriticalshortagesofworkersintheskilledtrades(carpenters,plumbers,welders,electricians),hospitalityworkers,andhealthcareworkersManyofthesejobspaybetterthanthoserequiringacollegedegreeBythenumbers:who’senrolledStudentsenrolledinCareerandTechnicalEducationclasses:GreatFallsHighSchool:1,621C.M.RussellHighSchool:1,492ParisGibsonLearningCenter:182GreatFallsMiddleSchools:allstudentsAcreditofcareerandtechnicaleducationisagraduationrequirement.BytheprogramIndustrialtechnologyHealthprofessionsFamilyandconsumerscienceBusinessSpecialeventsCareerfairsHealthCareersFairConstructionTradesFairHighschoolhousesTwohousesareunderconstructionbyGreatFallsHighandCMRstudentsinconjunctionwithNeighborWorksInteriorDesignclassstudentshelpplanfurnishings,andalandscapeclassatCMRhelpswithoutsidedesign.BusinessenterprisesDECA(DistributiveEducationClubsofAmerica)storesforstudentsatCMRandGFHS■GreatFallsHighSchoolshopstudentssellstorageunitstheybuildinclass.ParisGibsonLearningCenterbusinessesAnumberofbusinessesatParisGibsonLearningCenter:“SewWhat”(formerlyAvantGear),“TheCompany”thatrunsaschoolcaféandcateringbusiness,“LynxGrafix”thatdoesT-shirtandmugdesign,and“ParisGibsonDesigns,”thatdoesbusinesscards,calendars,photosandevenWebpages.“TheCompany”coffeeshopandcateringbusinessatParisGibsonAlternativeCenterMakingaquiltfortheParisGibsonAlternativeCenter“SewWhat”sewingbusiness.MeetingnewneedsAwindgeneratorwaserectedinNovember2008atCMRanticipatingtheboominalternativepowersourcejobs.TheAutoTechCenteropenedinFall06atParisGibsonSchooltotraintechnicians.Partnershipwithfiveautodealershipsthatputup$15,000eachtofundcenter:Bison,Bennett,City,TaylorBrothers,andLithia.WindgeneratorgoesupatCMRinFall2008InstructionatParisGibsonEducationCenterASEAutoTechCenter.BeyondtheclassroomTherearemorethan325juniorsintheJobShadowingprogramthatoffers600shadows.ManystudentsearncreditsbytakingWorkExperiencecoursesandworkingpart-time.BeyondthedistrictStudentsareenrolledindualcreditcoursesatMSU-GreatFallsCollegeofTechnologyinautobodyrepairandEMT(firstresponders)basic.MedPrepstudentstrainatBenefiswithnursestoqualifyasCertifiedNursingAssistants.TechPrepTechPrepcreditsprovidecollegecreditfor20highschoolcourses,givingstudentsadvancedplacementinprogramsleadingtoacertificateorassociatedegreeforthefollowingCTEcourses:■Accounting,ComputerLiteracy,InfoProcessing■HumanBodySystemsandFunctions2■TextilesandApparel1and2■DevelopingChild1andChildRelatedCareer2■IndustrialTechcourses(Welding1&2)ArchitecturalDrafting3-4,MechanicalDrafting3-4,AutomotiveTech3-4,PowerTech1,CISCO1-4,DCElectricity1andResidentialElectricity2,DCElectricity1&AppliedElectronics,Metals&Manufacturing2.Littleknownfacts■Enrollmentishigh.ApproximatelyhalfofthehighschoolgraduatesareVocationalConcentratorsbytakingthreeCTEcreditsormorebeforetheygraduate.Post-secondarycreditwhichsavestimeandmoneyforstudentsisavailablethroughTechPrepandDualEnrollmentopportunities.WorkExperienceallowsstudentstoreceivecreditwhileworkingforwagesonajob.CareerandTechnicalEducationhasstrongpartnershipswiththelocalbusinesscommunityandusesAdvisoryBoardsforallfourcontentareas.AdditionalfundingcomesfromastateallocationandfromaCarlPerkinsfederalgrant.StudentorganizationsCareerandTechnicalOrganizations:BusinessProfessionalsofAmerica(BPA),AssociationofMarketingStudents(DECA),HealthOccupationsStudentsofAmerica(HOSA)IndustrialTechnologyStudents(SKILLSUSA/VICA)FFATheseorganizationsenhanceeducationwithaco-curricularoptionthatmotivatesstudentsthroughcompetitiveeventswithanemphasisonleadership,citizenshipandspecificskills.GFPSalsorequiresallMiddleSchoolstudentstotakeaquarter(eachyear)inIndustrialTechnologyandFamilyandConsumerScience.Thesecoursesfamiliarizestudentswithwoods,technology,homemaintenance,textiles,foodsandpersonal/familyissues.Thesecurriculaprovideanintroductiontothehighschoolcourses.NorthMiddleSchool“Company”thatusesalaserengravertolearntechnologyandcomputerskillsaswellashowtooperateacompanyandturnaprofit.Otherfacts:StudentsfromtheInteriorDesignclasshelpwiththehighschoolhousesFieldtripsincludelocaleateriestofindouthowtheycatertoclientsARoboticscompetitionhasbeenaddedCareerclassesinclude:Hospitality,TourismandRecreationclass,entrepreneurshipclass,consumermechanicsclass,appliedphysicsclass,andlandscapedesignclass.ThefutureWe’