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Career and Technical Education (CTE) is a broad term for education that combines academic and technical skills with the knowledge and training needed to succeed in today’s labor market.

Career and technical education programs offer a sequence of courses aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in current or emerging professions. Gainesville High School offers 14 CTE programs of study and 17 industry-based certifications (IBC) within a variety of career clusters.

In Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, there are a total of 204 students currently enrolled in Animal Science, Applied Agricultural Engineering, and Plant Science. The Animal Science program focuses on the science, research, and business of animals and other living organisms. It teaches CTE learners how to apply biology and life science to real-world life processes of animals and wildlife, either in laboratories or in the field. GHS offers the Certified Veterinary Assistant, Level I certification.

Health Science and Culinary Arts each have a current enrollment of 127, and both areas continue to grow with additional interest and certification opportunities. The Health Science Career Cluster focuses on planning, managing, and providing therapeutic services, diagnostics services, health informatics, support services, and biotechnology research and development. These offerings are available to GHS students due to the District of Innovation status and the dedicated instruction of two full-time Registered Nurse instructors. Since 2019, 43 students have passed Certified Clinical Medical Assistant requirements, and an additional 23 Patient Care Technician Certifications were added in 2022.

The Culinary Arts program of study introduces students to occupations and educational opportunities related to the planning, directing, or coordinating of activities of a food and beverage organization or department. This program of study also explores opportunities involved in directing and participating in the preparation and cooking of food. GHS students have the opportunity to earn certifications such as Texas Food Handler, ServSafe Food Protection Manager, and Certified Fundamentals Cook.

Through the Accounting and Financial Services program of study, students learn the skills necessary to perform financial services, prepare financial statements, interpret accounting records, give advice, or audit and evaluate statements prepared by others. These students are able to obtain the Intuit QuickBooks Certified User IBC.

Additional programs of study available at GHS are Law Enforcement, Automotive, Digital Communications, Engineering, Welding, Cosmetology, and Manufacturing Technology.

The Texas Education Agency accounts for high school students who earn an industry-based certification (IBC) as one indicator within the student achievement domain of the state's public school accountability system. Industry-based certifications are a valuable component of strong student pathways.

T H A N K YO U TO A L L G A I N E S V I L L E I S D S TA F F, V O LU N T E E R S , A N D S T U D E N T S S T R I V I N G FO R E XC E L L E N C E .

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