The Saline County Career Center recognized six students recently by awarding them the Career and Technical Education certificate. In 2016, the Missouri General Assembly passed legislation requiring the State Board of Education and the CTE Advisory Council to establish the requirements for the CTE certificate. The certificate is earned in addition to the student’s graduating high school diploma. This is the third year graduating students were eligible to earn the CTE certificate.
The requirements set forth by the State Board of Education provide students with the necessary technical and employability skills to prepare them for an entry-level career or additional training in a technical field. Students must meet requirements such as maintaining a minimum GPA, completion of an approved Industry Recognized Credential (IRC), completion of a minimum of 50 hours of work-based learning experience, maintaining minimum attendance, achieving certain ACT or SAT scores, and demonstrating employability skills.
Brian Wilcoxson, Director of SCCC stated, “The minimum requirements these students must meet in order to be awarded the CTE certificate are rigorous, and must be maintained throughout their high school career. Students achieving this level of performance will make excellent candidates for further education, training or employment.”
The CTE certificate fits into Governor Parson’s workforce development initiative. Governor Parson visited SCCC in 2021 on a tour of Saline County. He spoke openly with SCCC students and staff about the importance of job readiness skills and industry workforce needs.
SCCC serves students from four area high schools including Slater, Sweet Springs, Malta Bend and Marshall. Program areas include Building Trades, Agriculture Education, Automotive Technology, Culinary Arts, Health Science, Marketing, Information Technology, Teaching Professions and Business Education. Six students from Marshall earned the Career and Technical Education Certificate. Receiving the CTE certificate for the class of 2023 are:
Carter Brooks (MOASK Agriculture Skills & Knowledge), Ava Christy (MOASK Agriculture Skills & Knowledge), Ashlyn Igo (MOASK Agriculture Skills & Knowledge), Brecken Jasper (TestOut Pro – Information Technology), Matthew Robbins (TestOut Pro – Information Technology), Christian McKinney (Carpentry Career Connections). All students are from Marshall.
“We congratulate these students and acknowledge the hard work and dedication they put forth to achieve this award.” added Wilcoxson.
For more information about the CTE certificate or the programs offered at the Saline County Career Center contact Brian Wilcoxson at 660.886.6958.