Attracting Students to Career Technical Education by Fanning Howey

Attracting Students to Career-Technical Education

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Change Perceptions Too often, Career-Technical Education is seen as a pathway of last resort for students. A building project presents an opportunity to change perceptions about CTE’s role within the community. Through a collaborative planning and design process, and by focusing on design strategies that enhance the unique elements of CTE learning, Career and Technical Centers can attract new students, grow enrollment and cement their role as a vital part of the educational and economic marketplace.

The modern commons at Tri Star Career Compact is unlike any learning space in northwestern Ohio.

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“Tri Star’s enrollment has increased 65% since our new building opened.” – T I M B U S C H U R , D I R E C TO R T R I S TA R C A R E E R C O M PAC T C E LI N A , O H

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Community members are often unaware of the programs oﬀers at CareerTechnical Centers. The design process is a chance to build understanding.

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Connect Community When multiple communities are involved in a Career-Technical Center, we collaborate with stakeholders to create a distinct identity for the building. During design, we generate excitement among partner schools and their constituents by creating a website to keep people informed about meetings, plans and designs. We also give careerday presentations at partner schools to share the exciting future that students can experience at the new or reimagined Career-Technical building.

Community involvement during design is a chance for residents to learn more about available CTE programs.

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Engage Students Student involvement in the design and construction process is a key element to increasing enrollment. By listening to the student perspective, we are able to create design solutions that are tailored for the preferences of Millennials and Generation Alpha. Students who are engaged are also better advocates for CTE programs with their peers.

The construction process creates opportunities for internships and job shadowing.

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During the design of the new Booker T. Washington High School for the Engineering Professions in Houston, Texas, Fanning Howey worked with student groups who were involved in Design Thinking workshops, design presentations and intership opportunities during construction. This approach ensured the student voice was at the center of a once-in-alifetime project.

Student participation in design sessions is an excellent way to build future advocates for CTE programs.

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To combat brain drain, many communities are taking a highlyintentional approach to connecting educational programs with local job opportunities.

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Build with Business Attracting students means providing a clear path to future job opportunities. By collaborating with local businesses during design, we create real-world learning environments that help students contribute to the local economy. Engaging businesses throughout the design process has other beneﬁts. During the design of Tri Star Career Compact in Celina, Ohio, businesses contributed more then $2 million to the building project - a direct result of their seeing the value of a skilled workforce in northwestern Ohio.

Crown Equipment contributed $500,000 for the naming rights to the commons at Tri Star Career Compact.

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Carmel High School Polytechnic Carmel, IN

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Integrated environment for both classroom education and hands-on learning.

Carmel High School’s Polytechnic School is where students turn their interests into real-world skills. Featuring modern spaces for engineering, culinary arts, media production, automotive technology, and advanced construction, the school oﬀers hands-on learning experiences that help students explore career pathways and prepare for their futures. The 14,000-square-foot expansion creates new opportunities for students to learn by doing. Dedicated spaces for advanced construction and automotive programs provide access to industry-relevant tools, equipment, and technology, while freeing up room for existing programs to continue growing. Designed to support collaboration, creativity, and innovation, the Polytechnic School gives students the chance to solve real-world challenges, gain practical experience, and build conﬁdence in their abilities. Whether pursuing college, technical training, apprenticeships, or direct entry into the workforce, students graduate with valuable skills and a clearer vision for their future.

C LI E N T Carmel Clay Schools SCOPE 16,188 New SF 20,618 Renovated SF COST $14.7 M C O M P L E T I O N DAT E 2026

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Carmel High School Polytechnic Carmel, IN

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Integrated environment for both classroom education and hands-on learning.

C LI E N T Carmel Clay Schools SCOPE 16,188 New SF 20,618 Renovated SF COST $14.7 M C O M P L E T I O N DAT E 2026

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Pioneer High-Bay Lab Shelby, OH

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The Career & Technology Center expansion opens the door for 150 additional students to explore exciting, high-demand careers through hands-on, real-world learning experiences. Designed to prepare students for success after graduation, the expanded facility provides access to industry-focused programs in advanced manufacturing, robotics, industrial maintenance, welding, and precision machining. An existing maintenance facility was transformed into a state-of-the-art industrial maintenance and robotics lab where students can develop technical skills using modern equipment in a highly visible, collaborative learning environment. Open spaces, extensive interior glazing, and dedicated instructional areas encourage teamwork, innovation, and problemsolving. These environments allow students to gain practical experience, earn valuable workforce-ready skills, and explore career paths that are in high demand throughout the region. Together, these improvements create more opportunities for students to discover their passions, build conﬁdence, and graduate prepared for college, apprenticeships, military service, or direct entry into rewarding careers.

C LI E N T Pioneer Career & Technology Center SCOPE 11,000 New SF 4,000 Renovated SF COST $4.7 M C O M P L E T I O N DAT E 2026

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Tri Star Career Compact Celina, OH

“Our enrollment has increased 65% since 2018. We had a vision of what we wanted, and Fanning Howey made it 1,000% better. They hit a home run!” – T I M B U S C H U R , D I R E C TO R

Tri Star Career Compact Celina, Ohio

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The contemporary exterior design makes Tri Star instantly recognizable in the rural community.

The new Tri Star Career Compact unites nine schools districts in one dynamic facility. The programs held in this state-of-the-art building will strengthen the local economy by training a new skilled workforce to meet the needs in Mercer County and Auglaize County, Ohio. In addition to providing high school students with the opportunity to develop technical skills, Tri Star Career Compact also provides space for adult education programs and training facilities for local companies and organizations Thanks to the collaborative nature of the planning and design process, Tri Star received $2 million in donations from local companies without sending out a single fundraising letter.

C LI E N T Tri Star Career Compact SCOPE 101,177 New SF COST $25.2 M C O M P L E T I O N DAT E 2019

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Columbia City High School Columbia City, IN

Since opening in 2020, enrollment has rapidly increased at Columbia City High School. In just two years, the building has met its anticipated occupancy levels, and the district is looking at options to add more space for incoming students.

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The high school offers a ﬁrst responder program.

Design of the new Columbia City High School focuses on creating graduation pathways to a network of more than 200 local businesses. The Business, Entrepreneurship and Communications Academy has a television, radio and podcasting suite, including a space designed speciﬁcally for the local radio station. The Health & Human Services Academy features a medical/emergency response training room. And in the Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology Academy, students have access to pre-engineering equipment and CNC machines donated by local companies.

C LI E N T Whitley County Consolidated Schools SCOPE 295,000 New SF COST $75.0 M C O M P L E T I O N DAT E 2020

Reﬂecting the nature of the rural community, the school also has one of the most advanced Agriculture suites in the state of Indiana. The suite includes ﬂexible agriculture classrooms, a project-ready high bay space, a welding lab, a small animal area, a greenhouse and a food science lab where students can learn to prepare the food they grow. fhai.com

Cyprus High School Magna, UT

Cyprus High School is designed to help students explore their passions, build new skills, and prepare for life beyond graduation. Serving 2,700 students, the school oﬀers dynamic learning environments where academic excellence and career exploration, come together to create an engaging and personalized educational experience. Organized into smaller learning communities, the campus encourages collaboration, creativity, and hands-on learning across a wide range of subjects and interests. Students have access to exceptional opportunities through industry-grade Career and Technical Education labs, a performing arts center, a teen center, and an eight-lane competition pool, allowing them to pursue career pathways, develop talents, and discover new interests. By combining innovative learning environments, diverse program offerings, and a strong focus on student growth, Cyprus High School empowers students to explore possibilities, gain real-world skills, and conﬁdently shape their futures. Partner Firm: Naylor Wentworth Lund Architects 20

C LI E N T Granite School District SCOPE 505,879 New SF COST $165 M C O M P L E T I O N DAT E 2025

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Career-Technical Clients INDIANA Carmel High School Polytechnic Pike Career and STEM Center Whitley County Consolidated School Corporation School City of Hammond

MICHIGAN Delaware Area Caree Center Downriver Career Technical Consortium Michael Berry Career Center Romeo Engineering & Technology Center

OHIO Collins Career Center Delaware Area Career Center Northwest State Community College Logan Elm Local Schools Global Impact STEM Academy Pioneer Career & Technology Center Tolles Career & Technical Center Tri Star Career Compact Vanguard-Sentinel Career & Technology Centers Warren Local Schools Wooster City Schools

NATIIONAL Carbon County Higher Education Center (WY) Granite School District (UT) Houston Independent School District (TX) Hutchinson Institute of Technology (AK) fhai.com

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