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S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 / W O R K F O R M E 15 C o n s t r u c t i o n / T r a d e s Leon Vaillancourt, of Vaillancourt Build- ers, is a longtime supporter of the program. "As a former student in the BRCTC carpen- try program while I was attending Morse High School, I know first-hand the incredible value of learning this trade," he says. "I've been a carpenter/contractor for over 40 years, hav- ing gotten my start there. It brings me great joy to serve on this program's advisory board and work side-by-side with these students." Old program, new interest The house project is nothing new for the pro- gram. "We have been building homes since the beginning of the program, which have been sold in different capacities," says Kenny. This year's house is the ninth modular home students in the program have built. Since 1973, the program has built 25 houses. Kenny says there was a large increase in enrollment in the 2019-20 school year. "I be- lieve we'll continue to see this pattern, given all of the media we see about the importance of trades for our economy and workforce." Students who graduate from the carpen- try program are certified to enter the job market, or are ready to enroll in college. "I think a lot of people don't realize that students that attend a Career and Techni- cal Education program are also preparing for college, and have that option after graduation if they choose," Kenny said. Bringing 'real value' The CTC programs are aligned with Maine Community College System programs, and offer students the opportunity to earn college credits even before they enroll in college. Kenny says while going right from the program into the workplace is an option, "it certainly isn't the only option." "Many of our students do get hired di- rectly from our programs, but others con- tinue on to a two or four-year college and are very successful in that direction," she says. Mixon, who was interviewed in the Bath Housing video, will be attending Central Maine Community College in Auburn. She plans to major in HVAC (heating, ventila- tion, air conditioning and cooling) and minor in business. The Bath CTC is one of 27 regional cen- ters and programs in the state for high school students. The programs are taught Constructing Maine's Future Constructing Maine's Future with a Tradition of Excellence with a Tradition of Excellence 207-729-3331 jobs@crooker.com LOOKING FOR A JOB? WANT A NEW CAREER PATH? LOOK NO FURTHER… ONLINE: www.crooker.com IN PERSON: 103 Lewiston Road, Topsham, ME HOW TO APPLY CROOKER CONSTRUCTION IS NOW HIRING! CROOKER CONSTRUCTION IS NOW HIRING! C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L O W I N G PA G E » M A I N E ' S C T E C A R E E R A N D T E C H N I C A L C E N T E R S Maine CTE centers are governed, operated and administered by a single school administrative unit; a CTE region comprises all the school administrative units within a geographical boundary. There are 27 CTE centers and regional schools in Maine. For a list of all CTE centers and contact info, visit: maine.gov/doe/learning/cte/cteschools For a list of CTE program categories and standards, visit: maine.gov/doe/learning/cte/standards/programstandardsassessments