From welding to computers, Bend-La Pine Schools’ Career Technical Education programs gaining popularity

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Over the next three weeks, every eighth-grade student in Bend-La Pine Schools will get a chance to experience several high school Career Technical Education (CTE) courses, as part of a district-wide initiative to drive enrollment to these hands-on, high-skill programs.

Eighth Grade CTE Experience Day will take place March 2 and is part of a months-long effort to highlight and celebrate the numerous CTE programs within Bend-La Pine Schools. Course offerings include automotive, business, graphic design, health occupations, culinary, construction, manufacturing, engineering, computer science, criminal justice, forestry and agriculture.

“Our CTE programs serve more than 1,600 high school students each year, but we know some students don’t learn about these options until late in their high school career. This event will help get these options in front of students as early as possible,” said Stephen DuVal, Director of College and Career Readiness. “We want everyone in our community, from business owners to students, to be aware of the CTE offerings in our schools. These are incredibly powerful programs that lead to higher graduation rates and to students feeling engaged in school and excited about their futures.”

The district’s seven high schools offer 33 CTE programs, with 1 in 3 high school students enrolled in a CTE course. Some CTE pathways lead directly to college or postsecondary training, while other pathways help students discover high-demand, high-wage career options. Twelve of the programs offer industry certification and nine programs offer college credit. 

During the new CTE Experience Day, all eighth-graders will visit their future high school and get a chance to experience several CTE courses of their choosing before forecasting for high school classes begins.  

The CTE Experience Day is part of a larger month-long effort to highlight and celebrate CTE programs across the district.

The community can also join the celebration by following along on the district’s Facebook or Instagram social media channels, where students enrolled in CTE programs will be featured every day for seven days in honor of Career Technical Education Month:  

• Tuesday - Automotive at Mountain View High School
• Wednesday - Construction at Realms High School
• Thursday - Computer Science at Summit High School
• Friday - Health Occupations at Caldera High School
• Saturday - STEM Engineering at Bend Tech Academy at Marshall High
• Sunday - Business at Bend Senior High School
• Monday - Manufacturing Technology  at La Pine High School