Career & Technical Education at Brandywine

Career Technical Education, or CTE as we call it, presents learning within a career context. Many of the core academic competencies found in classes like math, science, and English are embedded into our curriculum but delivered in practical, career-focused, relevant ways. Our programs are laboratories of real-world application where we put learning into practice each day while also developing invaluable employability and technical skills that develop career and college readiness. That is, students will develop skills that can be applied in entry-level employment and continuing education in post-secondary programs of study.

The majority of students who complete a CTE course of study do continue their education into college. Each year, about 9 months after graduation, we contact CTE program completers to conduct a Follow-up Study. We have found that on average about 90% are continuing their education! CTE is always about both career and college readiness; it is never a choice between the two. Did you know that more than 65% of jobs are of a skilled and technical nature?

Getting into college does not guarantee successful completion. Many well-intentioned students never make it past that first or second year. Research has shown us that college success requires two types of maturity: Academic maturity (appropriate level of academic, technical, and employability skills), and career maturity (appropriate level of career direction and goals). Career Technical Education helps to develop both academic and career maturity as students navigate the interconnected paths of interest, academic knowledge, technical skills, and relevant application. A curriculum that focuses on relevance and real-life context takes advantage of what we know about brain- compatible learning. It should be no surprise that learning within the framework of an area that interests us makes learning more meaningful and motivates us more. CTE instructors are teachers plus! In addition to teacher training, they each have a minimum of 4,000 hours of work experience in the related industry and take specialized coursework to earn occupational endorsement(s) in their area of expertise. They also frequently upgrade their skills. CTE offers programs in a variety of interest areas. Students may choose from:

Cabinetmaking/Carpentry
Automotive Technology
Business, Business Management
Accounting and Finance
Manufacturing Technology
Design Technology/Engineering
Broadcasting (including Investigative Journalism)

Several public schools in the area are providing additional courses for high school students through the Berrien County CTE Consortium. Shared-time simply means that the students from one school may take advantage of a program offered in a neighboring school. To learn more about Career & Technical Education classes around Berrien County, visit Berrien County's CTE website.