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CTE at Work


AB 1303
Assembly Bill 1303 - California Career Technical Education Incentive Grant Program: Strong Workforce Program - is currently being debated in the California Assembly. The bill increases funding for the CTE Incentive Grant (CTEIG) Program and consolidates K-12 CTE programs, allowing students to gain college and career readiness skills through high-quality career and technical education (CTE). Specifically, the bill would provide $450 million per year of ongoing funding with a 1:1 local match as well as additional funding for regional CTE Coordinators to provide technical assistance and support to local CTE providers. Read more about the bill here.


Internship News
Update on the Summer Internship Program
 
The CTE Department is busy building many new high school internships around the county. An “internship” differs from a “job” because it involves educating the student about being successful as an employee. We received 238 student applications. Our team read and scored the applications and passed them on to various employers participating in the internship program. The CTE Department is also interviewing many students who are interested in working at the County Office of Education this summer. We are in constant communication with both the students who have applied as well as their future employers. This is a detailed process that helps us ensure that students get an equitable opportunity to receive a summer internship. The timeline is as follows:
 
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Focus of Focaccia

The food internship program has provided tremendous value to Focaccia Café Inc. We made commitments to four interns, and all four are learning and training in different areas of our business: Quality Control, Social Media, Accounting, and Marketing. Our management team is very active in mentoring these high school students and training them on real business applications. It’s a win/win for everyone involved.
--William Yee, CFO
 
The following is a testimonial from Mr. Yee’s manager, Tess Hernandez:
“I was assigned to mentor Anjelie Jen Reveche from South San Francisco High School. She's planning on taking business courses in college. She came in very shy and reserved. By the end of her program, I'm proud to say she has overcome her shyness. She became more open and asked a lot of questions, which shows she really wants to learn. I'm really lucky to mentor her; she is a very well mannered and smart young lady who will surely achieve her goals.
 
It's a very humbling experience knowing that you helped somebody learn and prepare for their chosen career path and a world beyond the classroom. Thank you for the opportunity; it gives me a personal sense of satisfaction knowing that I made an impact on this young person. Being a volunteer myself, it always feels good to be of service to others. Thank you!”
 
 
Events in Our County
CTE in the Schools
 
CTE Relevance and Work-Based Learning Workshop
 
SMCOE teamed up with Napa County Office of Education to provide a workshop on infusing career relevance into curriculum on March 26th. Not only did we provide fun and engaging ideas that can be used daily in classrooms, such as Kahoot, Padlet, and escape room simulations, but participants really analyzed how to incorporate more work-based learning into existing classes. Participants gained a deeper understanding of high quality work-based learning, gained strategies to build industry engagement, and had time to brainstorm and plan career relevance and work-based learning activities.
Industry Corner
Article about Jobs at SFPUC
Presented by Pamela Astarte at San Mateo CTE Meeting March 14, 2019

 
According to a report co-sponsored by Jewish Vocational Services (JVS) and Baywork, there will be 823 openings at the various wastewater treatment sites in the Bay Area in the next two to three years for mission critical job, such as: Wastewater Treatment Operators; Distribution and Collection Technicians; Electronic Maintenance and Instrumentation Technicians; Electricians, including High Voltage, Heavy Equipment Operators; and Plumbers. This is mostly due to something we call the “silver tsunami” or the number of baby boomers retiring in many professions, especially the trades.
 
Careers in the wastewater field are varied, and all are extremely lucrative, most starting out after an apprenticeship between $80,000 to $100,000 a year with great benefits. There is a new Regional Apprenticeship Program that should be up and running within the next two years that will offer apprenticeships in many fields.
 
Despite the push to get high school students to pursue a four-year degree, over one-third of those who graduate hold jobs that do not require a degree. (Fleming 2016) It is clear that the acquisition of skills that match today’s job requirements provides a much better advantage than having a four-year degree in order to achieve a self-sufficient future. (Fleming 2016) We need middle skills workers, or those who have more than a high school diploma but do not require a Bachelor’s degree, this includes many of our skilled trades. Although this group represents 53 percent of the US labor market, only 43 percent of US workers are trained in these skills, many of which are required to fill mission critical jobs in the wastewater industry. (Nat. Skills Coalition 2018)
 
It is also important that students understand that these jobs are not a walk in the park, they still need basic skills in math and English, as well as mechanical aptitude. They also must pass tests at various levels for the different certificates of expertise required in this industry, especially as the future may involve a lot more digitalization and require knowledge of artificial intelligence.
The other advantage of these certificate programs is the stackable credential model, where someone might develop skills in a variety of fields, such as electricity, water distribution, plumbing, and welding, making them a more desirable candidate for employment. In addition, once hired, an employee is often reimbursed for pursuing higher levels of certification while they work.
 
It is important to let students know that they have choices, that college and its potentially crushing debt, is not the only option. Students who are willing to work in skilled trades need only check the listings on the www.baywork.org site as well as on the SFPUC site, https://sfwater.org/index.aspx?page=885

For more information on Career and Technical Education in San Mateo County, please contact:
Dr. Vera Jacobson-Lundeberg
CTE Director, SMCOE
vjlundeberg@smcoe.org

Tina Smith
CTE Coordinator, SMCOE
tsmith@smcoe.org
 
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San Mateo County Office of Education
101 Twin Dolphin Drive
Redwood City, CA 94065

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