Career & Technical Education Recognized During the Month of February
During the month of February each year, Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month is recognized as a public awareness campaign, celebrating the value and achievements of CTE programs across the country. Ingham Intermediate School District (Ingham ISD) is proud of the CTE offerings available to high school students at the Wilson Talent Center (WTC). With the start of the 2022-23 school year, Ingham ISD has now been offering CTE programs for fifty years.
Currently offering nineteen programs in twelve different career pathways, high school juniors and seniors leave the comfort of their local district for half of their school day to attend a CTE program. These students are earning both high school academic credit, free college credit as well as state and national industry certifications. In addition, they prepare resumes and cover letters then practice interviewing through a variety of mock job fairs and participate in state and national competitions.
Next fall, the WTC will be adding a twentieth program, called Educational Careers. The development of this program is a direct response to the teacher and school staff shortage being felt around the country. In this new program, students will spend time in the classroom learning classroom management skills, lessons and activity designs and will utilize their training in a real-world setting working directly with teachers or childcare providers.
CTE programs offer students hands-on training that can be applied to real-world, in-demand, high-wage careers such as healthcare, information technology, advanced manufacturing, hospitality management and more. Ninety-four percent of high school students enrolled in a CTE program graduated last year, compared to Michigan’s overall graduation rate of 80.5%.
“Our students appreciate the opportunity to participate in programming connected to a potential future career, with peers who share that same interest,” notes Joe Wenzel, principal. “The excitement we see when they master a new welding skill, do their first blood draw, or participate in a work-based learning experience is why our staff choose to be here every day. It’s extremely rewarding to see,” Wenzel also noted.
The Wilson Talent Center, operated by Ingham Intermediate School District, offers career and technical education programs for high school juniors and seniors who reside in Dansville, East Lansing, Haslett, Holt, Leslie, Mason, Okemos, Stockbridge, Waverly, Webberville and Williamston. Applications are also accepted from Lansing School District, Fowlerville Community Schools and Eaton and Clinton County schools. For more information, visit Wilson Talent Center (www.inghamisd.org/wtc).
