By Miriam McPhail

Staff Writer

    Since its establishment in 1976, the Career Center has offered Career Technical Education (CTE) courses focusing on a variety of trades and skills. While the traditional high school curriculum at the Career Center teaches important foundational knowledge, the vast majority of students aren’t planning to become mathematicians or historians. CTE offers a whole other area of learning with practical skills, experiences, and certifications that apply to everyday life as well as future career pathways. 

    “I always wanted to do hair, and I found out that you can actually do that at the Career Center,” Kegan Helton, a student in the Cosmetology program, said. “Instead of going to a two-year college, I can graduate [high school] with my apprentice license. After an internship for six months, I’ll have my full license, and I could either own or work at a salon.” 

    Trades aren’t usually taught at most high schools, leaving many professionals with a lack of background knowledge in their respective fields. During his time as a superintendent for a large electrical company, Bill Guraleczka saw firsthand that the trade-specific education employees had received was “well below a decent standard.” He knew something had to change. 

    “I saw [teaching at Career Center] as a way to make a positive impact on the trade and lead the young folks I mentor into a very rewarding career path,” Guraleczka said. “I prepare my students by expecting a high standard… Everything we learn is preparing them for a real-world application.” 

    Through CTE classes, students are able to work towards their future goals by earning relevant certifications and qualifications while they are still in high school. 

    “We use the NCCER Curriculum, so the students leave my program with nationally recognized credentials that all the big electrical contractors in this area recognize and use for their apprenticeship programs,” Guraleczka said. “Many students’ life trajectories have changed, and that is a pretty humbling thought for me.” 

    CTE courses are set apart by their unique hands-on approach. Instead of taking notes on lectures about a topic, students gain experience by actually putting those skills into practice. Ronald Stephenson, a teacher with experience in both AP Computer Science and CTE Programming, explained that while APs are “results-driven” and focus primarily on exams, CTE emphasizes the application of knowledge. 

    “Project-based learning is a great way to learn how the industry works,” Stephenson said. “I often will model and then use a ‘figure it out, man’ approach to drive deeper learning.” 

    One person who did figure it out was Travis Stewart, the Career Center’s current Automotive Technology teacher. 

   “I was a student of this same Automotive program in high school,” Stewart said. “I landed a job with Mercedes-Benz through the program, and worked with them for 8 years while attending Forsyth Tech at night until this teaching opportunity popped up.” 

   The CTE program continues to grow, helping students reach their goals and full potential. Over the years, the courses offered have also expanded, ranging from cooking to aviation and everything in between.

   “I would definitely recommend it to all students to do a CTE class, especially if they want to be a business owner or work in a certain industry,” Helton said. “It gives you a head start and you get to do something you love.”