The mission of Rockdale ISD is to “Empower and challenge all students to achieve personal excellence for college and career success.” Along with the state mission that “Every child, [is] prepared for success in college, a career or the military,” Career and Technical Education (CTE) plays an important role in today’s public education. Students today have the opportunity to gain a depth of knowledge and skill in their field of interest before graduating high school and pursuing post-secondary options. This depth allows students to be highly sought-after employees and students at all levels of higher education. This skill level translates to higher wages.
According to a study conducted over a 15-year period from 1997 to 2012 by Kreisman and Stange, taking a coherent sequence of courses and specifically, more upper level CTE courses (defined as CTE concentrators) leads to earning higher wages than non-CTE concentrators. These wage increases are particularly notable in the following clusters: health science, business and management, construction, mechanics and manufacturing. Here at Rockdale ISD, we offer all of these pathways because we focus on high skill, high wage and high demand careers. We work with the ever-changing ebb and flow of the job market and employers to ensure we are training our students to become marketable employees for the jobs of the future.
We begin working with students in Junior High to discover their career interests so they can develop a depth of knowledge in high school and become highly skilled, seek post-secondary certifications or degrees, and become productive members in a diverse society that are higher wage-earners.
At Rockdale ISD, almost every student takes at least one CTE course during high school. But it might surprise you to know that nearly 60% of Rockdale High School graduates complete a CTE Program of Study, and over 80% of all students take at least two CTE courses. Students have a variety of options in the 12 different programs of study offered.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly one-third of the fastest growing occupations will require an associate’s degree or a postsecondary technical certification. At a time when opportunity for employment is so critical, CTE programs in every community are ensuring students are adequately equipped with the necessary skills and education to successfully enter the workforce. The student leadership organizations that correspond with these programs (FFA, SkillsUSA, HOSA) each provide a unique opportunity for students to practice their college- and career- ready skills through in-class of outof- class activities and programs.
CTE is a powerful motivator for Rockdale’s young people and a valuable part of the Texas economy. When students can see a pathway from classrooms to careers, they are more likely to graduate high school with the skills and experience they need to succeed and to help our businesses succeed. Visit www. rockdaleisd.net to learn more about our programs of study (About Us>Programs>Career and Technical Education).
Please contact Britina Pesak, Director of CTE at bpesak@rockdaleisd.net or 512-430-6000, ext. 1021 if you would like to find out more about any of the CTE programs available at Rockdale ISD.
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