K12 Career + Technical Education by RATIO

CAREER + TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Career and Technical Education

Career and Technology Education (CTE) creates opportunities students to engage in real-world learning while developing problem-solving skills, teamwork, and technology literacy.

Exposure to a wide range of career fields including agriculture, engineering, construction, healthcare, automotive technology, culinary arts, and more to develop work-ready skills for students. Studies show that students who participate in CTE programming are more likely to graduate, gain employment, and further their education in trade school or college.

WILLOW SPRING HIGH SCHOOL FUGUAY-VARINA, NC

While CTE spaces such as wood shops and FACS labs have existed in schools for many years, modern CTE curriculum has evolved to include highly technical spaces such as medical labs, culinary kitchens, computer labs, and fabrication halls. These specialized spaces require a higher level of design coordination to provide adequate floor areas, heights, acoustics, flexibility and life safety requirements to keep the students and staff safe while simulating real work environments.

As collaborative and hands-on learning experiences have made their way into interdisciplinary curricula, we have found ways for new facility design to celebrate and amplify the important work going on in these spaces by integrating labs into the school, rather than tucking them away, or by activating shared outdoor spaces. Conversely, we have also seen an increase in dedicated CTE centers which allow school districts to consolidate resources and provide more robust labs shared by students from multiple facilities.

Elementary Maker Spaces & Middle School Labs

At the elementary school and middle school level, hands-on learning has grown to focus on technology exposure, group work, and career. Maker spaces and flexible CTE labs encourage integration of technology, arts, and sciences including laser cutters, 3D printers, and robots as a stepping stone to high school level programming.

WALNUT GROVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BARGERSVILLE, IN

BROOKLYN STEM ACADEMY BROOKLYN, IN

CROFTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DENVER, CO

CHARLESTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHARLESTOWN, IN

PIKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL JEFFERSONVILLE, IN

RAY CROWE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GREENWOOD, IN

HERBERT AKINS MIDDLE SCHOOL FUQUAY-VARINA, NC

BROOKLYN STEM ACADEMY BROOKLYN, IN

WILLOW SPRING HIGH SCHOOL FUGUAY-VARINA, NC

GARNER HIGH SCHOOL GARNER, NC

ROLESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL ROLESVILLE, NC

SOUTHEAST RALEIGH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL + YMCA RALEIGH, NC

ROLESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL ROLESVILLE, NC

Community Partnerships

Career and Technology Education creates meaningful connections between schools and their local communities. These partnerships open the door for businesses to actively engage with students through mentorship, hands-on learning, and real-world exposure. The result is a stronger talent pipeline, increased local trust, and long-term support for regional economic development.

At RATIO, we’re committed to giving back to the school districts we partner with. We participate in career fairs, offer job shadowing opportunities, and invite students into our studios to experience the design process firsthand. By connecting with student groups during design and construction, we help spark awareness and interest in careers across the AEC industry.

BALLANTYNE RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL CHARLOTTE, NC

NORTHERN HIGH SCHOOL DURHAM, NC

Career and Technical Education Centers

Centralized or regional Career and Technical Education (CTE) centers offer school districts a cost-effective way to pool administrative resources and invest in shared equipment and facilities. These centers create equitable access to modernized programs while streamlining operations across multiple schools.

The following case study highlights Amplify Hancock, our newest CTE center currently under construction in Indiana.

Amplify Hancock is a county-wide training facility designed to serve a range of end-user groups throughout Hancock County. Students will receive hands-on instruction in skilled trades such as welding, HVAC, electrical work, autobody repair, and building trades. The center will also support career pathways in healthcare, including certified nursing assistant, medical assistant, dental careers, and X-ray imaging technician programs.

This facility brings together students from all four Hancock County school districts, as well as Ivy Tech and Hancock Health. It’s designed with flexibility in mind, allowing for future program expansion through both site planning and dedicated shell space within the building.

Amplify Hancock represents a major investment in workforce development, equipping students with in-demand skills while supporting the county’s growing industries.