Last week Amtek headed to the VACTEA (Virginia Association of Career and Technical Education Administrators) Annual Conference to talk CTE in Virginia and reconnect with some old – and new – faces.
I was invited to give a presentation one afternoon and thought long and hard about what topic would be most appropriate.
I settled on making CTE a catalyst for STEM education, because it’s important for students to understand that STEM isn’t just for future scientists and engineers.
It’s the responsibility of educators to broaden students’ understanding of CTE and STEM. Just look at the focus areas of agricultural science, architecture, automotive engineering, health sciences, manufacturing and robotics and automation. All of these career pathways can lead to exciting, high-paying STEM jobs.
So how can you build a framework that connects CTE and STEM? By incorporating project-based learning into your curriculum.
Virginia Beach City Public Schools’ 2014 STEM Robotics Challenge is a great example of hundreds of students getting excited about STEM through hands-on activities:
It’s also important to establish industry partnerships to meet local economic needs. Tidewater Community College’s new dual-enrollment mechatronics program demonstrates how secondary and post-secondary educators are working together to help students find jobs locally.
Sometimes industry partnerships can uncover new resources for your program too. You’ll find local companies may have older training equipment they are willing to donate or grants available to fund new equipment purchases if your programs covers specific skill sets or certifications they need to see in job candidates.
A lot goes into aligning CTE curriculum with 21st century STEM technologies. Learn more in my presentation below.
