Contact: Laurie Hogan (336) 370-8307
Created: 11/23/2009 4:38:13 PM

More than 1,500 students and family members attended the GCS Career Exploration Fair at the Greensboro Coliseum on Nov. 19. The Counseling and Career and Technical Education (CTE) departments hold the fair annually for middle and high school students to learn about possible career fields. Click on the link at the end of the story to view photos.

During the fair, students interacted with representatives from more than 65 businesses and were able to learn about jobs in a variety of industries, including healthcare, construction, technology, sports management and aviation. Business displays at the fair were interactive and students got hands-on experience doing the types of tasks required in some career fields. Students put on surgical masks, caps and gowns at one of the healthcare tables, while at the masonry display, students lined up to help build a brick wall.

"It's important to us that our students start thinking about what they want to do after high school or after college," said Judy Harrington, a CTE program specialist. The Career Exploration Fair is just one way GCS prepares students for future careers. During the high school years, CTE courses are open for students to take in subject areas such as information technology, construction technology, culinary arts, medical sciences, automotive technology and early childhood education. These classes, which used to be called trade or technical courses, are making a big impact on GCS students.

Students who complete four CTE classes in their area of interest and other curriculum requirements can graduate as College Tech Prep completers. More than 80 percent of the district's College Tech Prep completers go on to post-secondary education. Students who take CTE courses also graduate at a higher rate. Among 2008 high school graduates in North Carolina, the graduation rate of students who earned four or more technical credits was 86.5 percent, while the overall graduation rate was 70.3 percent.

CTE courses are not the same "home economics" and "shop" classes of the past. Students earn international certifications and prepare for viable career fields in areas of the economy that are growing. "We are training students for high-skill, high-need and high-wage careers," Harrington said.

To view a slideshow of photos from the Career Exploration Fair, click here.