Vt. lawmakers expected to look at CTE funding reforms

ESSEX JCT., Vt. (WCAX) – Not everyone learns from tests and PowerPoint presentations. Tech ed is a popular alternative for hundreds of Vermont students. The Center for Technology in Essex Junction is one of those programs that Governor Phil Scott has said are key to helping solve Vermont’s workforce crisis.

The Center for Technology Essex offers a different kind of learning for high school students. From cosmetology to creative media to engineering, students say the programs helped them find their passions.

“It’s helped me explore art options. But the good thing about this program is it gives you a lot of time to focus on your passions and think about what you want to do in the future. And I realize while I love art, it may not be something that I want to do as a career,” said Hto-Lwee Wah, a 17-year-old Essex student.

CTE Principal Bob Travers says students from across the region enroll in their junior and senior years. In the past two years, the numbers have remained stable, with about 370 students. “What makes that unique in the learning experience is that there’s relevance to the work they’re doing and we all know that relevance really makes a difference around motivation,” Travers said.

He says 30% of their students go on to college and about 40% leave with post-secondary credits, and that’s important to further develop Vermont’s workforce.

The Vermont Department of Labor’s Jay Ramsey says they are looking to grow these types of programs over the next five to ten years. “I think the tech centers in Vermont — and actually across the nation — are great resources and some would say they’re underutilized in Vermont,” he said.

Ramsey says Vermont has made major efforts in training for jobs in the trades. “We should keep up the investment and technical education for the state, it’s sort of the backbone to the economy,” he said.

Ramsey says a study last year found that funding challenges and how courses are offered could help to enhance the experience for students and grow the programs. “The General Assembly has the opportunity this session to take up how the tech centers are funded and address some long-standing issues that create a situation for some students not to be able to go to them or to find out about them sort after they’ve graduated high school,” he said.

Attracting industry professionals to teach and more opportunities for younger students to learn about the offerings also remain a challenge for CTE programs. To help that, CTE Essex is planning to hold two workshops in February for parents to learn more.