Washtenaw Community College will kick off the month of February with events designed to connect students to career and technical education opportunities.
Career and Technical Education Month, or CTE Month, is a public awareness campaign that takes place each February to inform students and the community about what CTE is and how it directly prepares students for high-wage, high-demand careers. CTE impacts a wide variety of fields including health care, information technology, advanced manufacturing, management and more.
WCC offers more than 30 associate degrees and 40 certificates in CTE career fields, fueling a pipeline from a post-secondary education directly into a high-paying job. Many of WCC’s academic programs align with the State of Michigan’s recent “Hot 50 Jobs Outlook,” including those requiring applied health sciences, business, computer science and STEM-related certificates and degrees.
While some CTE Month events are designed for current WCC students, many are open to the public, including an employer discussion panel, CTE-themed movies and a virtual presentation on non-traditional careers for women.
"Non-Traditional Careers for Women," which starts at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 8, highlights the careers of an engineer, lawyer, engineer-turned-business-owner, and a robotics/3D printing specialist. This pre-recorded SME presentation shares their journeys and how they broke through the glass ceiling in traditional male-dominated fields. No advance registration is needed for this Zoom event.
An employer discussion panel will run from 3-4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23 in Garrett’s, on the ground floor of the Student Center. Participants can enjoy an early dinner and conversation with area employers about how to be a strong candidate when starting a career or pivoting mid-career.
WCC will also host two CTE-themed movies during February, including a screening of “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” at 3 p.m. on Wednedsay, Feb. 15 and “The Founder” at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21. Both movies will be shown in Garrett’s in the Student Center.
Additionally, a representative from Wayne State University will host discussions about the articulation agreement that paves the way for WCC students to transfer into WSU’s bachelor’s degree program for welding and metallurgical engineering. These presentations will be at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21 in room 127 of the Occupational Education Building.
Several other events are by invitation or are geared specifically to WCC students.
The annual invitation-only Auto Service Competition/Skills USA Regional competition will be Friday, Feb. 3, and provides the opportunity for high school students to learn more about WCC’s automotive and mobility programs.
WCC students are invited to connect with employers at an Internship Fair from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16 in the Morris Lawrence Building.
Current students are also invited to participate in CTE Bingo throughout the month, designed to encourage participants to take advantage of the many learning opportunities on campus. Bingo cards can be completed in-person or virtually for a grand prize of a $300 credit at the campus bookstore.
Anyone interested in more information about the CTE Month events, including how to register, can visit the CTE Month @ WCC webpage.