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3 1 F A L L 2 0 1 9 / S T U F F M A D E I N M A I N E CTE Schools S TUDENTS WHO ATTEND THE PORTLAND ARTS AND TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE WITH CERTIFIED SKILLS FROM ANY OF 19 PROGRAMS, RANGING FROM NURSING ASSISTANT TRAINING TO MASONRY TO BUSINESS MARKETING. This coming year, they can also specialize in cyber security. Those students who will go on to college are a step ahead of many of their classmates. Those enter- ing the job market are also ahead of the pack. Every year, anywhere from 475 to 525 juniors and seniors from 18 southern Maine high school attend PATHS programs, part of the 8,500 or so of the state's high school juniors and seniors enrolled in the state's Career and Technical Education program. Kevin Stilphen, director of PATHS, would like to see more. "We're providing opportunities for students," Stilphen says. Opportunities that include de- cent-paying jobs after graduation, or a head start on post-second- ary education, apprenticeships, and more. PATHS is one of 27 Maine CTE centers and regional schools across the state. While some of Maine's 182,500 high school students take a course here or there, only 14% of juniors and seniors are enrolled in the program. Students in CTE programs are still required to take standard high school courses, like English, math, social students and science. "I know more students could benefit," Stilphen says. Taking part in a Maine Career Technical Education program "doesn't limit opportunities, it ex- pands them," Stilphen says. "We've seen amazing successes." He's not alone. The state Depart- ment of Education set a goal in 2015 to double CTE enrollment by 2020. Educate Maine released a report in 2016 that set out strategies, includ- ing increasing career pathways from 10 to 16, updating public percep- tion, expanding private business partnerships, making partnerships more feasible for small businesses, reinforcing partnerships with Maine colleges, removing regulatory and policy barriers to enrolling in CTE programs, and expanding pre- apprenticeship offerings. Business, college connections "It's a great time to be in CTE," Stilphen says. He means that for both students and those who run the programs. The input from businesses is "amazing," he says. The centers all have connections to businesses that help students get hands-on training — programs like the sum- mer apprenticeship program with Cianbro, Maine's largest construc- tion company. They continually look at how to make the program better and how to strengthen partnerships to meet the state's economic needs. The connection with Maine's Community College System allows students to continue a career path. Students can also enter the Bridge program junior year, in which they can earn 26 or more college credits without college costs. Three-quarters of CTE pro- grams offer students the chance to earn college credits. More than 42% of CTE students enroll in a two- or four-year college right after graduation. According to Educate Maine, the high school graduation rate for students concentrating in CTE programs was 90.2%, the state average overall was 87.5%. The program also has technol- ogy update groups in every indus- try it represents — from agricul- ture and auto body to composites manufacturing and emergency medical services. They make sure curriculum is up to date and stu- dents meet standards. Undercurrent of entrepreneurship What programs are offered is also continuously reviewed. That's why PATHS is adding cyber security. Before programs are added, Stilphen says, admin- strators study market research, national standards reviews, state and national trends and more. The Capital Area Technical Cen- ter in Augusta this year is joining five other CTE schools that offer Fire Science. P H O T O / P A T H S . P O R T L A N D S C H O O L S . O R G n e x t f r o n t i e r next frontier TRAINING'S CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE » The skilled trades are the fabric of our world, and people should take great pride in doing that work. — Dan Coffey Cianbro Institute U.S. Sen. Angus King says of Portland Arts & Technology High School , "This kind of education is more important than ever … because of the interconnection with the economy." Prepping students for a career By Maureen Milliken

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