Students and faculty at Lake Technical Center will join others across the nation during the month of February to celebrate national Career and Technical Education (CTE) MonthTM. This year’s theme is CTE: Careers Through Education. CTE MonthTM provides CTE programs across the country an opportunity to demonstrate how CTE prepares them for high-wage, high-demand career fields. Lake Technical Center is celebrating by hosting its annual Advisory Committee Reception and meeting and by participating in the Eustis Washington Birthday Festival Parade.
Lake Technical Center’s Advisory Committee Reception will be held on Thursday, February 23 beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the main campus Student Center located at 2001 Kurt Street in Eustis. Students from the Commercial Foods and Culinary Arts program will display their culinary talents by preparing and serving appetizers and desserts. Students will also showcase their garde manger (vegetable and fruit carvings) skills.
Following the reception, the advisory committees will meet in their given program areas. The advisory committees are made up of business and industry professionals who provide guidance and support for the programs. Committee members meet several times each year to give input on program curricula in order to ensure that training addresses the needs of our regional workforce. The advisory committees play a key role in the success of Lake Tech and perform an important service to the students and citizens of Lake County.
“The activities planned over the next month will illustrate how we much we value the support of business and industry and recognize that in today’s world, partnerships are very important to the success of our community,” said Diane Culpepper, Director of Lake Technical Center. “CTE programs are investing in students’ lives with the latest technology and skills that will prepare them to become successful employees as well as future leaders.”
CTE is a major part of the solution to myriad national economic and workforce problems, such as high school dropout rates, a weakened economy, global competitiveness and massive layoffs. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly one-third of the fastest growing occupations will require a postsecondary career certificate or associate’s degree. Recent research published by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce shows that 4.7 million new workers with post-secondary certificates and credentials, such as those which can be obtained at Lake Technical Center, will be needed by 2018. Unfortunately, the nation will fall short of meeting that demand. At a time when job opportunity is so critical, CTE programs in every community are ensuring students are adequately equipped with the skills to successfully enter the workforce.