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Career and Technical Ed
Career & Technical Education
Briar Woods CTE Department - Halloween 2023
What Is CTE?
There is a growing need in the U.S. workforce for well-trained employees who are prepared with the 21st Century Skills that businesses and corporations have identified as critical for the challenges of our global ecomomy. Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in Virginia public schools prepare today's students for their education and workplace experiences by offering quality hands-on learning in a "real-world" context.
The mission of CTE is to ensure that every graduate is prepared for the challenges of post-secondary education and the workplace. Workplace readiness skills emphasized within CTE program include:
critical and high order thinking
collaboration and teamwork
creativity
personal and social responsibility
communication
decision-making skills and more!
CTE Program Areas
The Career & Technical Education department consists of four program areas:
Business & Information Technology
Family & Consumer Sciences
Marketing Education
Technology & Engineering Education
All program area classes incorporate teaching strategies that actively engage students in applying knowledge to real world scenarios. Some courses also provide laboratory learning experiences, such as work in the school store, gourmet foods kitchen, preschool, production lab, and more. All students are provided with opportunities to earn industry certifications aligned with the state competencies for the course.
Briar Woods CTE Teachers & Courses
Technology & Engineering Education
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Additional Information
Students enrolled in CTE courses follow a competency-based curriculum established by the Virginia Department of Education in accordance with the sixteen career clusters. Details are available on the CTE Resource Center, which outlines the complete task list for each VDOE course.
Career & Technical Student Organizations
Enrollment in CTE courses also affords students the unique opportunity to participate in career & technical student organizations at the local, state, and national levels. These co-curricular student organizations are integrated into the classroom experience to provide additional learning opportunities that develop leadership skills and enhance the student's perspective of the world through field trips, guest speakers, competitive events, and conferences.
Briar Woods CTSO Information:
Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA)
Additional information can be accessed from the Activities page.
"DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe."
"Educators Rising is cultivating a new generation of highly skilled educators by guiding young people on a path from high school through college and into their teaching careers. By working with aspiring educators who reflect the demographics of their communities and who are passionate about serving those communities through public education, Educators Rising is changing the face of teaching."
"FBLA mission is to bring business and education together in a positive working relationship through innovative leadership and career development program."
The Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) mission is to promote personal growth and leadership development through Family and Consumer Sciences education."
Technology Student Association
"The Technology Student Association (TSA) enhances personal development, leadership, and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), whereby members apply and integrate these concepts through intracurricular activities, competitions, and related programs."
Wesbite Links
Virginia Department of Education - CTE
Career and technical education programs in Virginia public schools serve more than 550,000 students in grades 6-12. These programs are designed to prepare young people for productive futures while meeting the commonwealth's need for well-trained and industry-certified technical workers.
Loudoun County Public Schools - CTE
Career and technical education courses are an integral part of the middle school and high school plan of study in addition to offering special programs at the Academy of Entrepreneurship and Technology, C.S. Monroe Technology Center, and NJROTC.
For additional information contact the BWHS CTE Department Chair: Heather VanDyke - heather.vandyke@lcps.org