There are over 500 careers I reference when working with my clients. We often think about careers that require a 4-year degree however some of the highest, most in demand careers are in the Career and Technical Education world which can include certifications or 2-year degrees. I felt it was important to talking about this topic with one of the experts I know. The Association for Career & Technical Education has proven research that show students involved in CTE courses are more engaged, perform better and graduate at a higher rate. Half of all STEM jobs call for workers with less than a bachelor’s degree. Health Care occupations are projected to grow 18% by 2026, adding more than 2 million new jobs. Almost half of the energy workforce may need to be replaced in 2024 and demand for solar and wind energy technicians will double.

Today’s guest is with Debbie Ruel-Schaefer the Career and Technical Education Director of the 4th largest school district in Texas with a CTE enrollment of over 26,000 students! Northside ISD offers over 135 different CTE courses which includes coherent sequences of courses in Health Science and Engineering where enrollment has dramatically increased over the last 3 years. Deb is a career educator in her 29th year of helping students to find what they are passionate about. She is the mother of Hannah, a CTE student who is pursuing her degree in Speech Pathology from Baylor University. I’ve had the honor of getting to know Debbie while serving on her CTE Advisory Board for many years and have seen her passion for the world of career and technical occupations.

https://nisd.net/career-tech/

NEON: Northside Employee Opportunity Network

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