Preparing for the Future

Career and technical education provides pathway to employment.

While trade and technical education programs have been around for many years, leaders at the helm of area career and technical education programs say that students of all ages are taking a fresh look at the benefits of practical, hands-on learning opportunities that prepare them to enter the job market.    

Though technical and trade education carried a stigma at one time, Brandon Russell says that perceptions have changed, and more and more students and their families are considering that a four-year degree program is not the only option available to them after high school. As the director of career and technical education at the Columbia Area Career Center (CACC), Russell says the “trade tech” program of the past has reinvented itself as career and technical education and has gained much interest and traction from both students and employers in the process.   

“It’s a model of education that has been around for a long time and it works, but there is much more interest and willingness to utilize it than ever before,” Russell said.   

CACC draws its 2,300 students from each of the four Columbia Public School System high schools, Centralia High School, and private and independent schools, in addition to homeschool students. It offers eighteen program areas with eighty courses. The largest programs include culinary arts, agriculture, digital media, certified welding, and professions in healthcare, which includes students working towards a Certified Nursing Assistant certification.   

“People have started realizing that career and technical education programs are about helping students find their future and getting them involved in pathways early in their education,” Russell added. “We are getting students deeper in experiential learning that is reality based.”   

CACC has made strides in growing work-based learning experiences, and it has placed a focus on partnering with community businesses to help students learn in the community.   

“We were trying to grow work-based learning before the pandemic, but as we experienced the pandemic it taught us a lot of different things,” Russell explained. “Social capital is so important for students who were so isolated during the pandemic, so we have to build social capital and get students engaged with adults in the community.”  

To that end, just over one year ago the CACC registered with the Department of Labor as a youth apprenticeship sponsor. It is now focusing on creating apprenticeship opportunities for students from age 16 through 24.   

“We are seeing a real shift in the employers we talk to in their willingness to work with younger potential employees,” Russell said. “We recently toured a plant, and they were excited about getting access to our students — and getting them trained.”  

Brandon McElwain, director of marketing for State Technical College of Missouri — just an hour drive southeast of Columbia in Linn, Missouri — can vouch for increased awareness and interest in career and technical education.  

“We are the fastest growing college in the state, with a 90 percent increase in the number of students in the past eight years,” McElwain noted.   

With more than thirty degree and certificate programs, McElwain said that every program has seen a significant increase in enrollment, with much of the increase coming over the past couple years.   

“HVAC, electrical, utilities, and the heavy equipment operation and management program have been some of the programs that have seen the biggest increases,” McElwain said.   

Every program except the dental program at State Tech provides a two-year associates degree upon completion, and each program includes an internship between the first and second year. Upon graduation students have access to career placement assistance until retirement.   

“We have over 600 people on our advisory council, and we have an annual career expo with over 400 businesses,” McElwain added. “With the relationships our students have with instructors, they make sure you get through the program, and they get you into the workforce.”   

The value proposition is two-fold, he said.  

“If you come to State Tech, you will get a career and won’t go into debt with student loans, and I think that resonates with a lot of people throughout the state,” he said. “There is a trend nationally to realize that jobs in the trades are in high demand, and Missouri has a need for a bigger workforce. We are one of the biggest drivers for that.”   

With more than 2,400 students currently enrolled, McElwain said that State Tech has a graduation rate in the low 80 percentile, the highest graduation rate in the country for a two-year school. Combined with a 99 percent career placement rate, McElwain said the educational model at State Tech is a win for both students and employers.   

John Scalise remembers when it felt like high school students had two options at graduation — go to a four-year college or do nothing. From his vantage point as the president and CEO of Job Point, those days are long gone. He regularly sees students complete programs and certifications in twelve to sixteen weeks, then enter the workforce.   

“The majority of our programs have a rolling start, so you can come in today with interest and start in a matter of days,” Scalise said.   

Scalise says that he’s also noticed a shift in mindset among employers who are much more likely to provide on-the-job training to quality employees.  

“The amount of training that employers offer willingly has increased, and most are just looking for the real basics, for people who will show up, show up on time, and be consistent,” he said. “Every warehouse uses a computer, but every warehouse has a different system. With a certificate from our warehouse training program, you can get a job at a warehouse and get specialized training on their systems.”   

At Job Point, programs are open to those who haven’t graduated from high school, and many programs are also friendly to those with legal history, Scalise said. Students are required to take an aptitude test, and most programs require an eighth or ninth grade level for reading and math. Some programs, like HVAC and CNA, have higher requirements for reading or math.   

“People are looking for a faster way to earn money than going through four or five years of college and excessive debt,” Scalise explained. “They’re realizing that they don’t want to invest money with the hope that it leads to something good, they are seeing that there are other ways to get there.”   

With eight different certificate courses — CNA, office technology, construction trades, carpentry, highway maintenance and repair, warehouse, HVAC, and commercial driver’s license — plus three more coming soon — solar panel installation, hair braiding, and child care — Scalise added that he also views career and technical education as a risk-free way to try out a career or employment path.  

“You can invest three or four months and try it out, and you might decide that you never want to do it again, and you’re glad you didn’t wait four years to find out,” he said. “It’s also a good way to supplement an education while pursuing a four-year degree.”   

While many students earn minimum wage upon program completion, some start off much higher, and all have the opportunity to earn more with experience and additional training.   

“We have people complete the highway maintenance and repair program after being in prison for a long time and make $90,000 in a year off of a twelve-week program,” Scalise said. “It’s not unheard of to change your life completely with something like that.”