Middle School Career Technical Education Symposium Coming Feb. 9

Education partners from throughout the region will get together Feb. 9 in San Diego to share best practices in building high-quality middle school career technical education (CTE) programs.

This is the third year for the Middle School CTE Engagement Symposium, which is organized by the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE). The event will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 9 at Marina Village Conference Center. Registration is free for educators in San Diego County and $55 for out-of-county attendees.

“As we prepare our students for their future college and career choices, it’s never too early to enrich their learning through career exploration and career awareness,” said Margie de Ruyter, a coordinator with SDCOE’s College and Career Readiness team. “This ultimately better prepares them for making informed choices about their future.”

The symposium will include sessions on:

• How to develop or expand career pathway programs
• Strategies for engaging school-site leadership support for CTE in middle schools 
• How to incorporate career-related project-based learning in the classroom 
• Credential solutions for middle school
• How to develop a middle school to high school transition model
• Middle schools career pathways marketing and outreach
• Work-based learning activities for middle schools 
• Business/industry partnerships that support career exploration in middle schools

Educators who would like to share their expertise in building programs that ensure middle schoolers are ready for a rewarding and high-paying career have until Jan. 16 to submit a proposal to present.

Middle school students are eager to embrace career technical education that can have a big impact on their career choices, said Diana Tompkins, an instructor at the engineering lab at Joan MacQueen Middle School in Alpine.

“Parents and visitors are always surprised when they visit our lab for the first time and see our middle school students learning and practicing advanced 3D design and manufacturing processes,” she said. “I find myself in awe with the creativity and quality of their projects as they hone their design skills.”