The common assumption driving American education tends to steer students towards four-year college programs. However, alternate pathways can also lead to successful careers and financial stability. This alternative potential is demonstrated by the announcement of a $390,000, three-year grant by the California Masons to the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD). The funds are intended to strengthen their College Career Technical Education (CCTE) programs, training a skilled workforce for the future.
SDUSD Superintendent, Dr. Lamont Jackson, acknowledged that the grant will facilitate an expanded offering of the CCTE programs, giving an additional 3,000 students access to crucial programs within the automotive technology and building trades, to diversity the educational landscape
Doug Ismail, President of the California Masonic Foundation, pointed out the importance of addressing the perception gap in post-secondary education. Ismail stressed the significance of presenting students and their families with viable alternatives. This comes in light of an estimated 190,000 job openings emerging in the construction and automotive trades in San Diego County from 2020 to 2030.
The Masons' grant to SDUSD will lead to the development of additional CCTE programs. These include a five-week Saturday program focused on automotive systems, diagnostics, and repairs, as well as a Summer Enrichment course featuring school credit and two-week paid internship experience opportunities. A district-wide expansion of these programs is expected to cater to more students wanting to partake in CCTE offerings throughout the district.
The receipt of the grant will also allot resources to hire a post-secondary preparation coach and a work-based learning resource teacher for outreach, enrollment, awareness, and forging partnerships with local businesses. In addition, their responsibilities will include conducting evaluations and helping coordinate campus visits and guest speaker engagements. This will connect high school students with community college initiatives and apprenticeships suited to their career goals outside of four-year colleges.
