News

Students and faculty at Mineral Area College will join others across
the nation during the month of February to celebrate national Career
and Technical Education (CTE) Month.

Among the special activities scheduled at MAC is a High Tech
“Celebrating You” Workshop on Feb. 29 targeting high school sophomore
females.

This year’s theme is CTE: Careers Through Education. CTE Month
provides CTE programs across the country an opportunity to demonstrate
how CTE educates students to be college- and career-ready and prepares
them for high-wage, high-demand career fields.

Ryan Clegg, a Washington University Ph.D. student, is the guest
speaker. She will discuss math, engineering, technology and science
careers, and talk about her experiences at NASA. Her research focused
on lunar soil erosion physics for landing rockets on the moon and on
the physical and mechanical properties of lunar soil. Clegg’s
undergrad degrees are in physics and she has a bachelor's degree in
space science.

Approximately 130 students will participate in MAC’s “hands-on” CTE
Month activities to help them become more aware of “nontraditional”
careers for their gender. The instructors for CNC/robotics,
networking, electronics, web page design, agriculture/horticulture,
criminal justice/fire management, allied health and CADD will provide
the activities and knowledge about careers in these fields. Also
discussed will be the physics and pre-engineering programs at Mineral
Area College. Please contact Tanya DeGonia, the Career Education
Coordinator for our Region V, if you have questions (573) 518-2255.

The event is being organized by MCCE Coordinator Tanya DeGonia, Career
Advisors Beth Lambert and Julie Downs, and Administrative Assistant
Peggy Gillespie who work in the Career and Technical Division.

“The activities planned during February will illustrate the rigor and
relevance CTE courses offer our students,” said Gil Kennon, MAC’s vice
president of college affairs. “By partnering with the business
community, CTE programs are investing in students’ lives with the
latest technology and skills that will prepare them to become
successful employees as well as future leaders.”

CTE is said to be a major part of the solution to myriad national
economic and workforce problems, such as high school dropout rates, a
weakened economy, global competitiveness and massive layoffs.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly one-third of
the fastest growing occupations will require an associate’s degree or
a postsecondary vocational certificate. Recent research published by
the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce shows
that 4.7 million new workers will be needed by post-secondary
certificates and credentials, such as those which can be obtained at
Mineral Area College by 2018, but we will fall short of meeting that
demand. At a time when job opportunity is so critical, CTE programs in
every community are ensuring students are adequately equipped with the
skills to successfully enter the workforce.

About ACTE
The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is the
nation’s largest not-for-profit education association dedicated to the
advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for successful
careers. It provides advocacy, public awareness and access to
information, professional development and tools that enable members to
be successful and effective leaders. Founded in 1926, ACTE has more
than 27,000 members including teachers, counselors and administrators
at the middle school, high school and postsecondary levels.