SIATech high schools are designed to provide students with skills and knowledge they will be able to utilize beyond the classroom. Our teachers and staff encourage students to dive into topics that will help them achieve their goals both academically and professionally. One way this goal is implemented through Career Technical Education, Career Pathways, and Paxton Patterson CTE programs.
SIATech East LA Independent Study High School senior Ian H. is one of the most recent CTE pathway completers with an earned certificate in Entrepreneurship. When asked what he enjoyed most about completing his CTE pathway, Ian shared, “I enjoyed the assignments that require me to do the work an entrepreneur would typically do. For example, creating a business plan.”
One of the first things that students can choose to do upon enrollment at SIATech high schools is to take a career exploration course. This work helps students learn about a wide variety of careers that they might not already know about. The students also learn what it takes to earn a certification, where to look for apprenticeships and internships, how to become an apprentice, whether higher education is required, and more. Importantly, students are able to grow by understanding the career landscape in their communities so that they are being trained in jobs that can help them get a job right away. And, it all happens simultaneously while the student finishes high school.
Mr. Reinecke, a CTE instructor at SIATech Moreno Valley Independent Study High School, commented: “A special thank you to all mentor teachers who are the true supporters of the SIATech CTE program. If the mentor teachers don’t suggest CTE pathways to their students we wouldn’t have completers like Ian.”
Through SIATech high school CTE programs students are able to choose from a variety of career categories including those in Health Science and Medical Technology, Information and Communication Technology, Marketing Sales and Service, Transportation Logistics, and Business and Finance. Students can take a number of courses designed to enhance their abilities through hands-on instruction and equip them with everything they need to be successful in their specified field.
Students don’t have to wait until they are employed to try out their new career skills. One student shared how he has been able to utilize the skills he's learned in Paxton Patterson beyond the classroom by being able to fix a broken power outlet in his bedroom. He said these courses gave him the confidence to try it on his own and now wants to pursue a career as an electrician.
Another example of students putting their career technical education skills into practice recently occurred in the SIATech Indio Independent Study High School classroom, but not in the way one would expect. A student accidentally dropped the restroom key into the bathroom sink and it fell into the p-trap. A teacher asked a student who had taken the Paxton Patterson class if he might be able to assist. The student agreed and was able to take apart the p-trap, retrieve the key, and reassemble everything correctly.
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SIATech CTE teachers are equipped with a combination of education and industry experience making them highly qualified to provide students with the necessary skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the workforce. At the end of their time at SIATech, students will not only walk away with certifications in their field that they can put on a resume, but students also emerge with confidence in their ability to make a profession out of their chosen pathway.
“The unmistakable realization that they can fix something with their own hands, that their future lies in their hands, that they have the ability to change their lives for the better. That’s the moment everything changes. Career Technical Education isn’t just about job training, it's about empowerment, confidence, and opening doors students never thought possible,” said CTE Teacher Mr. Bayron.
As mentioned above, Ian H., a SIATech senior at SIATech East LA Independent Study High School is one of the most recent CTE pathway completers! It can all start with just one course that will provide elective credits toward graduation. The Paxton Patterson labs provide hands-on experience and modules that might inspire a student to continue to finish a whole career pathway training. As an Entrepreneurship CTE pathway completer, Ian has taken all classes needed to complete the Entrepreneurship pathway and earn his certification.
The purpose of these pathway options is to provide students with assignments and tasks that they will be able to utilize in their post graduate life outside of school. Ian’s plan post graduation is to enter college to focus on computer science. He hopes to one day own his own game development company.
As a graduate of SIATech, Ian’s advice for future students is, “Keep a good schedule for completing your work. It is very easy to get distracted when working at home, so make sure you are in a quiet room without anything to bother you.”
