The Martin County School District (MCSD) proudly celebrates Career and Technical Education Month (CTE) and the opportunity to highlight the value of educational opportunities that prepare students for high-wage, high-demand careers.
Career and technical education program offerings in MCSD include:
- Job preparatory courses designed to provide students with the competencies necessary for effective entry into an occupation;
- Exploratory courses designed to give students initial exposure to skills and attitudes associated with a broad range of occupations to assist them in making informed decisions regarding their future academic and occupational goals;
- Practical arts courses designed to teach students practical generic skills which, although applicable in some occupations, are not designed to prepare students for entry into an occupation;
- Career education instruction which is designed to strengthen and integrate basic academic skills and career and technical skills and occupational awareness;
- Accelerated career and technical programs such as vocational dual enrollment designed to enable high school students to earn elective credit toward graduation and postsecondary credit toward an A.S. degree or a technical certificate.
MCSD is proud to offer more than 25 CTE programs. During the 2022-2023 school year, high school students in Martin County earned 1,158 industry certifications.
On the state level, Governor Ron DeSantis and Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. recently promoted February as Career and Technical Education Month, celebrating Florida's leading role in providing practical education opportunities throughout the state.
As a result of Governor DeSantis’ policies to support workforce education, Florida currently has nearly 800,000 K-12 CTE students, more than 412,000 postsecondary CTE students and over 20,000 registered apprentices, resulting in over 5 million students engaged in CTE coursework since 2018-2019.
“Governor DeSantis has spearheaded transformative investments in our state's workforce, cultivating a talent pool that not only meets the evolving needs of businesses across Florida, but also propels our students toward brighter futures,” said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. “This strategic commitment equips the next generation for success, fostering a thriving economy built on a highly skilled and educated workforce."
Florida’s workforce education programs are academically rigorous, effective and driven by the current and projected needs of top industries throughout the state. As the third most populous state in the nation with the 16th largest economy in the world, Florida recognizes the pivotal role of CTE in cultivating expertise within key industries. The state is steadfast in addressing the urgent need to generate 2 million net new jobs by 2030, with a specific emphasis on in-demand sectors such as semiconductor, aviation, energy, broadband, cybersecurity and information technology.