Rise of the Trades

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MICTED is the youngest of the three institutions. A specialized school district in Yavapai County, MICTED was founded in 2008 and provides CTE classes for each of the regular school districts. This allows training opportunities to be more evenly distributed throughout the county.

In addition to taking classes at Prescott High School, CTE students can also take courses at the MICTED building, co-located in the Yavapai College Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) near the Prescott Regional Airport. Together, Prescott High School CTE and MICTED have provided programs in Accounting Services, Automotive Repair Technology, Business Management, Digital Communication, and Networking Technologies.

THIS IS ONE OF THE COOLEST PROGRAMS THAT THEY HAVE OUT THERE AT YAVAPAI COLLEGE BECAUSE THEY GET TO WORK WITH SO MUCH CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY, INCLUDING 3-D HOUSE PRINTING AND THINGS LIKE THAT. Francisco Ortiz y Davis

These young learners work side-by-side with Yavapai College CTE students and can go on to enroll in more advanced classes through the college. This coursework gives them the opportunity to earn dual credits – both high school and transferable college credits – in subjects like Automotive Collision Repair, Automotive Repair Technology, Aviation Technology, Certified Nursing Assistant, Electrical Lineworker, Medical Assisting, Pre-Engineering, and Welding.

lots of programs that will feed right into the high school CTE programs and then, of course, Yavapai College. So that scaling really does start at fifth and sixth grade in PUSD.”

In fact, studies show that CTE classes boost student retention as they provide students with immediate, real-world connections between their studies and their future careers. “During Freshman Academy, every freshman has an opportunity to experience CTE, even if that’s not the path they choose going forward,” said Horniman. “They not only bond with their freshmen class and see what their high school has to offer, but they also get exposed to a lot of options and are able to make some decisions on their own at that time.”

sure they’re still relevant for students and

As the nature of career and technology jobs change over time, Prescott High School CTE re-evaluates its programs to make potential employers. This is accomplished in two ways. First, local businesses and organizations are invited to join parents and students in a CTE advisory council.

But ninth grade isn’t the first time students are thinking about careers or technology at PUSD. “It starts at the fifth and sixthgrade level,” said Horniman. “We have the only STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) certified fifth and sixth-grade school in the state and only one of 153 in the nation.”

Every year, CTE teachers and leadership meet with the advisory council to see what new opportunities there are to prepare students for the emerging economy. “We were approached by the Prescott Police Department to help promote a cadet program that they would like to continue,” said Ortiz y Davis. “We’re also considering a culinary program, an early childhood education program, and technical stagecraft.”

“So that starts early in PUSD,” she said. “Then they go to the middle school, which is seventh and eighth grade. They have

Another field getting serious consideration is Advanced Manufacturing Methods. Ortiz y Davis said, “This is one of the cool-

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