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- Juab School District received high praise for its Career and Technical Education
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By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
“Juab has the highest scores of the three districts I work with,” said Boyd Donaldson, Career and Technical Education Director who works with Juab School District and two other districts.
Donaldson reported the high standing of the vocational department of the Juab School District to board of education members at Wednesday’s meeting. He said that the vocational department had adopted industry standards by which vocational education was now measured.
“We are aligning with those standards,” he said.
Each vocational student earns a certain amount of state funding for participation in the program. Each class earns a different amount, for example, the drafting student may bring more funding than some other training.
One advanced class, for example, earns more per student than do other classes even though the size of the class is smaller.
For that class to earn the cost of the instructor’s wage, there only need to be 17 students in the class.
Snow College invests $54,500 for the district drafting program. The way the finance package from the college works, he said, is that money comes to the district for the outreach program and the drafting program is under that fund.
“I just dump all of the fundings we receive into the pot so that it helps all of our vocational program,” he said.
CTE training approximates real workplace situations, giving the student real life experiences.
For example, those training to become an auto mechanic will work on engines and auto bodies under the direction of an ASE certified instructor. Those in a dental or nursing program, as part of instruction, will spend time in a doctor’s office or clinic.
There are advantages to starting CTE in high school. For one thing, high school students don’t pay CTE tuition. And taking CTE classes in high school is a great way to explore different career paths.
CTE courses and programs introduce students to career options including careers that require college education.
In Utah, CTE programs are offered in all 109 high schools, all 141 middle schools, and 10 colleges.
For higher education classes, the district only has to furnish the room. Snow College furnishes the staff. For those classes, adults are also eligible. Adult students are charged a base tuition based on the number of hours of training they will receive and, for certain programs, a fee to cover the costs of equipment or material needs.
“We have 1,601 student periods through CTE,” he said. “We have pretty full classes and we have class loads as high as I have ever seen them.”
CTE programs are designed to meet the requirements of high-wage, high-demand jobs with specific outcomes.
The school guidance counselor helps students develop the required Student Education Occupation Plan (SEOP), designed to help them choose a CTE course that is consistent with their goals and plans.
“The guidance department will have an on-site review this year,” he said. “It will then be certified for six years.”
Three years ago, the CTE High School to College and Careers Pathway initiative was established so students can take CTE courses in high school toward college credit.
One other item of importance for a shop class to receive funds is that safety practices must be met. To this end, Risk Management is involved. Students, because of these requirements, cannot serve as student assistants who are made responsible for the class.
“Teachers cannot turn the class over to the teacher’s assistant,” said Donaldson.
There must be more than one pathway in order to receive Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act federal money, he said. There have to be, at least, two pathways such as drafting and agriculture available. The Perkins Act defines vocational-technical education as organized educational programs offering sequences of courses directly related to preparing individuals for paid or unpaid employment in current or emerging occupations requiring other than a baccalaureate or advanced degree.
Pathways, within eight areas of study, are rigorous programs of study to assure strong academic and technical preparation providing students with critical learning and hands-on skills.
Students who focus on a Pathway acquire the skills necessary for entry into well-paid careers.
The eight available are: Agriculture Pathways, Business Pathways, Family QND Consumer Science Pathways, Health Science Pathways, Information Technology Pathways, Marketing Pathways, Skilled AND Technical Sciences Pathways and Technology and Engineering Pathways.
DWS (Department of Workforce Services) estimates between now and 2016 there will be more than 27,000 new manufacturing positions in Utah considered “5 Star” occupations, which yield the greatest job outlook and the best pay and 79 percent of Utah jobs will not require a bachelor’s degree by the year 2016.
Half of jobs will require up to a year of on-the-job training and more than 30 percent will be entry level positions earning under $14.30 an hour. Approximately 26 percent of jobs earning wages above $17.80 an hour will require either more than one year of formal on-the-job training, work experience, applied technical certificates or associate’s degrees.
Jobs requiring bachelor’s degrees and earning wages above $22.80 an hour will comprise about 20 percent of Utah’s labor market. Twenty-eight percent of Utahns have bachelor’s degrees or higher (Master’s, PhD).
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