February is national Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month.  The Coppell Gazette recently published the story below on CISD’s CTE programs.

Learn how the CTE program at CISD benefits students in the long run
Story courtesy of the Coppell Gazette. Written by Arianna Morrison

The Career and Technical Education program offered at Coppell ISD allows students to immerse themselves in hands-on study that helps prepare them for college and the real-world workforce.

Through this customized education program, students are able to learn relevant technical knowledge and skills to further their education or step straight into a career. The district offers the CTE program for students at New Tech High at Coppell, Coppell High School, and Coppell High School Ninth Grade Campus, according to CISD’s website.

“CTE in high school helps students in the long run by introducing them to the skills, terminology and language of a career,” said Dr. Eric Kibodeaux, CISD’s Director of Career and Technical Education. “In some cases, the Industry Certification that they earn can help them with some post-graduate studies. An example might be if a student passes their EMT or Pharmacy Tech certification, they will be less likely to struggle in pre-med classes and also make them more appealing to be accepted into medical school, nursing school, etc.”

Dr. Kibodeaux has been in education for 15 years, five of which has been as a CTE administrator. In his role as CTE Director, he works to build CTE programs and provides students with the opportunity to be college and career ready to help meet the needs of the labor market.

New Tech High at Coppell offers CTE students the opportunity to pursue three programs of study: Business, Marketing, and Finance, Arts, Audio Visual Technology, and Communication, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

Coppell High School and Coppell High School Ninth Grade Campus offer five programs of study: Education and Training, Health Science, and the three programs offered at New Tech High at Coppell, according to the district’s website.

All of the CTE programs have been put in place due to community and student interest, Dr. Kibodeaux said.

“Some things students gain from participating in a CTE program at CISD is that students will have a greater understanding and a head start if they pursue the same career choice as a college major,” he said. “In other words, if a student has spent four years advancing their knowledge and understanding in Engineering at CISD, they will be that much more successful majoring in engineering in college, giving them an advantage over their peers.”

In addition to the programs themselves, students also have the opportunity to join student organizations to help support them with their CTE program. This includes HOSA for medical students, TSA for engineering or arts and AV, DECA for business, or TAFE for education and training, just to name a few.

While some of the CTE programs would require a continuation of postgraduate studies, students who earn some of the certifications are able to start entry level jobs that allow them to work in that field as they pursue college courses, Dr. Kibodeaux said.

“I believe every student at Coppell ISD should be in a CTE Program of Study because these programs prepare students for the world of work, which is much closer than many students think,” he said. “Many skills are needed such as the industry skills along with soft skills in order to be successful. CTE prepares students to succeed in college and in the labor market.”

For more information on Career and Technical Education at Coppell ISD, visit https://www.coppellisd.com/CTE.