Shawnee welcomes more than 160 students

Shawnee Community College hosted its second annual Career and Technical Education, CTE, Day on Thursday, April 6.

The event welcomed area high school seniors who are interested in exploring technical education programs offered at the college.

Students gained hands-on experience in the following technical programs: 

Welding, HVAC, basic residential electricity, agriculture, cosmetology, nail technology, surgical technology, occupational therapy, massage therapy, automotive and computers system specialist.

More than 160 students participated in Career and Technical Education Day.

The day started with a “tug-of-war” challenge,with three students from each of the participating high schools taking part in the competition.

Following opening comments from Shawnee Community College vice president of instructional services Vickie Artman, students attended two morning sessions and two afternoon sessions, with each lasting approximately 45 minutes.

“Students are entering the workforce at faster rates after high school graduation, therefore anything we can do to expose them to the various career paths helps build a strong foundation for their future,” said Gabriele Farner, dean of instructional services at Shawnee Community College.

“Every student is different and so are his or her career plans. The day of one-size-fits-all education is a thing of the past. As a community college, our focus should be on offering successful career tracks for all students, whether it be a less-than-one-year certificate or a two-year degree.”

Farner has served as the lead coordinator for the event for the past two years.