Ensuring students are career and college ready is a goal of many CTE programs, and technical training is a key component to achieving that goal. Successful CTE programs combine high academic standards with career exploration and technical training for students, bridging the skills gap and preparing them for college or work.
When it comes to technical training ideas for your CTE program, there are a few over-arching tips to keep in mind.
Perhaps most importantly, CTE programs should align technical training with the needs of the local labor market. This way, skills students learn through their education can lead to careers and opportunities available in the local community or region. This, in turn, can build relationships with local community colleges, trade schools, and businesses looking for future employees.
School districts and post-secondary institutions should also try to align their goals when possible. If content is being duplicated between programs, consider dual credit opportunities.
Be sure to also create value for local business partners to entice them to offer CTE student internships or work-based learning opportunities. Find out what work areas local businesses are seeing gaps in and make it easy for students and businesses to connect via field trips or community events.
For CTE programs that are career pathway-based, here are some more specific technical training ideas in fields like agriscience, manufacturing, welding and more.
Agricultural Mechanics
Agricultural mechanics is a key component of many agriscience programs that guide students toward prominent, fast growing STEM jobs. In fact, jobs like agricultural engineers are projected to grow 6 percent (faster than average) between 2022 and 2032, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
To teach the power, structural, and technical systems that drive agricultural processes, students need the opportunity to apply physical science principles to their studies with an agricultural mechanics career track that covers:
- Agricultural equipment, power systems, alternative fuel sources and precision technology.
- Woodworking, metalworking, welding and project planning for agricultural structures.
- Welding trainers, CNC plasma tables, hydraulics training systems and even engine rotation stands are all key components to the formula that makes up a robust educational program.
Explore specific hands-on learning technologies for agricultural mechanics programs here.
Automotive Technology
Automotive programs are up against new challenges, including shifting to the new NATEF model for automobile standards or introducing students to the new trends like hybrid or smart manufacturing. In fact, several Virginia school divisions are using competitive state grants to modernize automotive programs and upgrade technology to improve their career and technical education skilled trades programs.
Modern technical training programs for automotive should be equipped with systems that cover the eight ATEF Automotive Service Excellence technician areas (Engine Repair, Automatic Trans/Transaxle, Manual Drive Train and Axles, Suspension and Steering, Brakes, Engine Repair, Electrical Systems and Engine Performance) — all while also covering core concepts related to hybrid technologies and STEM.
Programs should strive to design an effective lab layout in addition to selecting the right automotive engineering technology to best equip students for the future. Automotive engineering technology, like lab trainers and simulators, can help shorten the diagnostic learning curve and accommodate more students while still enabling the instructor to focus attention on critical concepts. Some features to consider include:
- Real-world faults that emphasize diagnostic troubleshooting.
- NATEF-aligned systems and curriculum that can take students from beginner to shop-ready and aligned to NATEF standards – at MLR, AST, and MAST levels.
- Hybrid and electric vehicles training that offers direct experience on a real HV system in a safe, controlled environment.
- Immersive virtual reality that advances skills in automotive painting and HVLP coating.
- Simulation trainers for heavy equipment operators that take students from the classroom to the virtual worksite.
Browse training solutions for automotive programs here.
Building Trades, Carpentry and Construction
Skilled trade programs in building, carpentry and construction are valuable in places like West Virginia, who’s recent economic development advancements have focused on attracting these types of jobs.
Adequate preparation for future careers in building trades, carpentry and construction requires a blend of classroom theory and hands-on experience that covers skills, like surveying, safety, rough and finished carpentry, material estimation, and tool management and use.
From cabinet making and woodworking to residential and commercial construction, students need a solid understanding of hand tools, portable power tools and other equipment common in the carpentry profession.
There are several technical training components that can help with this preparation and learning, including:
- Heavy equipment trainers that provide highly realistic simulation-based training.
- Large format CNC routers for building real-world projects.
- Hands-on industrial wiring training systems.
- Cabinets, shelving, and racking to keep the shop organized and secure.
Find more options for training solutions to meet your Building Trades program’s needs here.
Electricity and Electronics
Students should understand the electricians’ and electronics technicians’ role in any industry, from construction to HVAC, as well as the safety procedures and best practices that go along with the trade.
As sectors like the clean energy industry see a boom, the demand for skilled electrical workers to install and service things like EV chargers, solar panels, wind turbines and more will also increase. In fact, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects growth of electrician jobs will increase by 9.1% from 2020 to 2030.
Electrical control training should help prepare the industrial engineers, operators, and maintenance technicians of tomorrow through training curriculum that provides hands-on training on the basic wiring and troubleshooting of an electrical controls system.
Some of our favorite systems cover the following topics:
- Black box training systems that offer modules with fault insertions that familiarize students with troubleshooting scenarios they will encounter on the job.
- Hard-wired training systems that offer an authentic real-world environment via blank electrical boxes in which students install components from scratch.
- Training systems featuring a broad range of topics that take students deep into the world of electronics.
Select electrical controls training solutions that best complement your program here.
Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing
An effective advanced manufacturing career pathway allows students to learn skills that can be applied to college or help them directly enter the workforce.
For high school CTE and dual-enrollment programs alike, the combination of mechatronics, robotics, instrumentation, fluid power, process control, automation and 3D engineering in a two-year program will give students a solid foundation in today’s manufacturing technologies. And some local programs even allow students a debt-free pathway to high-paying manufacturing jobs.
The creation of dedicated teaching and laboratory spaces will create a flexible learning environment where students have access to all the software and hardware they need to acquire 21st century skills. Additional online learning components facilitate independent study that allows students to learn at their own pace.
Training solutions should meet the highest safety standards to ensure that experiments can be performed in a safe learning environment. For emerging mechatronics programs, we recommend automated systems that teach a variety of applications including process control, mechanical drives systems and PLC’s.
To prepare for a new wave of advanced manufacturing tech, 3D scanners, 3D printers and CNC systems can apply to a variety of disciplines. View more engineering educational equipment suggestions here.
Welding
To keep up with the local demand for welders, programs are currently being invested in and expanded in states like Virginia. The two most significant factors of any education welding program are ensuring student health and safety and managing program size and budget.
When creating a state-of-the-art welding training program, it’s important to establish a lab with appropriate ventilation that eliminates smoke and particulate buildup. This ensures a safer working environment so that students can focus on the task at hand – becoming skilled welders.
Augmented reality training is a space-saving option that allows students to practice the motion of welding before hopping into a welding booth. This saves on consumables and resources while students become comfortable with their skills. Students should leave your program with an understanding of manufacturing processes and systems common to careers in welding and related industries.
Read more about industry-leading welding equipment, furniture and simulators here.
For additional resources and technical training ideas, visit our Technical Training Equipment page or download our guidebook to browse through more CTE pathways and skills-based technical training including mechatronics, automation and robotics, CADD and more.
