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Career Technical Education (CTE)

What is CTE?  Career Technical Education (CTE) is committed to helping with a bright future after high school. Today, students need a broad education and 21st-century skills to ensure successful long-term careers.  CTE provides hands-on, unpaid training designed to furnish students with entry-level marketable skills. CTE instructors have extensive career experience. 

Career Technical Education (CTE) classes are taught through a series of lectures, group activities, project-based learning, and job-related internship experiences. Students will learn résumé writing, application completion, communication, interview skills, and job search techniques. Career and technical standards infused with academic standards and workplace learning prepare students for success in the workplace as well as post-secondary education.

Who can take CTE?  CTE is available for all high school students throughout the San Juan Unified District regardless of race, sex, color, ancestry, religion, marital or parental status, gender, or disability.

What kind of credit do I earn?  As a CTE student, you earn 10, 15, or 20 elective credits (depending on the class and hours) just as you would if you were taking three traditional scheduled or two-block scheduled classes on campus. Many classes are articulated with local colleges, which means you can earn high school credit and college credits simultaneously.

What CTE courses are offered at Encina?  Encina offers TWO CTE pathways - Construction Technology and Dental Careers.

Does CTE have a record of success?  Yes! There are former CTE students in our community who are teachers, nurses, dental assistants, lawyers, doctors, accountants, bakers, chefs, entrepreneurs, engineers, computer techs, mechanics, law enforcement officers, vet techs, etc.

Every year, the graduates are surveyed so that CTE is updated on their employment and educational status. To date, nearly all persons responding to the survey have indicated they felt their training in the various CTE programs was good to excellent. Almost nine out of ten people also stated that their CTE training served as an influencing factor in their present work or educational pursuits.

The unemployment rate of CTE graduates has consistently been less than half of the rate of the general population for the same age group.

How do I sign up for this exciting program?  Students would sign up with their school counselor. 

Did you know you can get college credit by taking CTE classes?  Some CTE classes are articulated or dual enrolled with the local community colleges, allowing you to earn college credit.

How can CTE get you where you want to be?  Students enroll in CTE courses to fulfill many different personal and professional goals.

New to the world of work?  Gain valuable real-world experience that employers want.