Career Pathways Career and Tech News

Recent News

Tech Prep Awards Over $56,000 in Grants;
Local High Schools Among Grant Winners

The Tech Prep program at TC3 has awarded grants to local education efforts in eight high schools. Funding for the grants, which totals $56,000, came from the state funding TC3 receives to run the Tech Prep program. The grant process is competitive with applications for funding submitted in the spring. The winning projects were chosen from 12 proposals.

"These grants support local educators as they implement new programs that will help their students prepare for college and careers," says TC3 Tech Prep Director Victoria Zeppelin. "These funds are vital to local districts as they integrate rigorous academics with real-world learning experiences. Students are more motivated when they see the application of what they're learning."

Tech Prep is supported by the Carl D. Perkins Act to create partnerships between high schools, community colleges, and industry to strengthen career and technical education. It is dedicated to preparing high-school students for jobs in a high-tech economy by promoting contextualized learning strategies, creating a pathway between high schools and their local community college, and supporting the development of instruction in these programs. Tech Prep students gain knowledge and skills that educators and employers have identified as essential to success in college and careers. Business partners assist in curriculum development and provide work-based learning experiences for Tech Prep students. All Tech Prep students have the opportunity to earn TC3 credit tuition-free through the Concurrent Enrollment program at the their high schools, at TC3, or online.

2007-08 Awarded Mini-Grants

TC3 Professor Helps Students Explore Biotechnology

Dr. Jake Jacob, professor of biotechnology at Tompkins Cortland Community College, has been very busy! In an effort to increase awareness of TC3’s new biotechnology degree program, he has been visiting high school classes to talk to students about biotechnology careers and its influence on our lives. Jake received a grant from Tech Prep so that the students can perform laboratory exercises, such as gel electrophoresis, to learn more about the techniques used in the biotechnology field. Bainbridge-Guilford published a story about his recent visit in its March 2006 district bulletin. If you would like Jake to visit your class, let us know!

New Visions Program Takes Curriculum Beyond Classroom

The New Visions Agricultural and Environmental Science program at TST BOCES was featured in the Ithaca Journal on February 7, 2006. The class, taught by Michele Sutton, is held on Cornell’s campus. New Visions is an interdisciplinary program that offers opportunities for seniors to combine rigorous academics with work experience in various fields. Students receive credit for English, Economics, Government, and a technical field. Locally, New Visions programs are offered in agriculture, environmental science, education, and health sciences.

Career And Technical Education Week

The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) has designated Feb. 12 18, 2006 as Career and Technical Education Week. This year's theme is: Career Tech: Education for Success. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to conduct special activities in your local districts to promote and showcase your CTE program. ACTE has several online tools to help you with your efforts * promotional ideas, strategies for publicity, proclamation tips, a CTE fact sheet, etc., which is available on their web site at the following address.

Vocational Education: No Longer A Second Class Citizen

In a climate dominated by raising academic achievement and increasing the number of students prepared for college, it is easy to lose sight of a second important objective of high school preparing students for lasting success in the world of work. Well conceived career and technical education not only can directly improve students' labor market prospects but also may help foster deeper understanding of academics. Secretarial programs are giving way to communications and graphic design, computer applications, finance academies and marketing. Information technology, emphasizing systems design, networking and sophisticated computer modeling, can be found in a growing number of high schools. Carpentry, electricity and plumbing are now part of broader programs in construction technology that introduce students to entrepreneurship, computer assisted drafting and design, architecture, environmental regulation and public policy. Robotics, digital electronics, hydraulics and other technical subjects central to engineering and advanced manufacturing are replacing traditional programs in machining and sheet metal. Some districts have health programs devoted to biomedical and health sciences. In this article, Gary Hochlander asks: What are the distinguishing features of these new programs in career and technical education? What are some key considerations schools need to take into account to implement challenging, comprehensive programs as part of their high school curriculum? (more info)

New Survey Shows Broadening Skills Gap Threatens Manufacturing Competitiveness

According to a survey report released by the National Association of Manufacturers, over 80 percent of manufacturers surveyed are experiencing an overall shortage of qualified workers. Ninety percent report a moderate to severe shortage of qualified skilled production employees including machinists, operators, craft workers, distributors and technicians. Engineers and scientists are also in short supply, with 65 percent of respondents reporting current deficiencies. "We also must update the image of modern manufacturing in the minds of young people, their parents and educators, and encourage more students to study math and science or follow a technical career path," NAM President John Engler concluded. Among its recommendations, the 2005 Skills Gap Report urges: a. Educators to emphasize science, math and technology related programs in K 12 curricula and invest more in teacher education; b. State education standards to include career education as measurable criteria for K 12 success; c. Government to partner with business to improve the K 12 and community college system to develop a high performance workforce. The 2005 Skills Gap Report is based on responses from more than 800 manufacturers of all sizes nationwide.