• CTAE Program at Peach County High School

    What is CTAE?

    Career Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) integrates core academic knowledge with technical and occupational skills to prepare students for post-secondary education and the workforce.  Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) began a curriculum revision process in conjunction with the Governor’s Strategic Industries and Workforce Development Task Force recommendations. In a collaborative effort involving secondary and post-secondary school instructors, determinations were made based on what knowledge and ​skills are necessary for future successes in the Georgia workforce.  Program Concentrations were developed for Georgia based upon this work.  Click here to learn more. 

    Why is CTAE relevant to the business community?

    "Across every school district in Georgia, Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) delivers for our state.  CTAE is preparing students for post-graduation success by teaching employability skills and technical skills that are in demand now and will continue to be in the future. CTAE is supporting businesses across all sectors by training the next generation of talent graduating with credentials, cutting edge skills, and work experience.  Communities across Georgia are benefiting from the local talent pipelines that support existing businesses and economic development efforts."  From the Georgia Department of Education Annual Report 2019/2020

    Business Partners & Opportunities for Peach County High School CTAE Students

    Example: The Blue Bird Associate Level Technician Program
    The Blue Bird Associate Level Technician Certification provides students with a breadth of foundational knowledge for servicing Blue Bird buses. The Certification is 100% online and contains 6 Courses with over 30 topics. Each topic is delivered in the form of an interactive instructional module, and is followed by a “Knowledge Check” module to confirm understanding. Each course contains a Cumulative Exam, with the Certification being rewarded based on passing a two-part Final Exam covering all content delivered throughout. The online work is supported by hands-on activities on an actual bus thereby allowing the students to take the information they learned in the online module and apply it.  Students that complete the program receive an Associate Level Blue Bird Technician Certification. This qualifies them to work anywhere that serviced Blue Bird buses. In addition, Blue Bird is offering to hire any program completer.  

    The Peach County High School CTAE Program wants to partner with local and regional businesses and industries to expand certification program offerings to the students and welcome any inquiries. If you are interested in getting involved, please email Lara Norris. 

    Peach County High School CTAE Advisory Committee

    The CTAE department at Peach County High School is committed to providing its students opportunities and experiences to become aware of, explore, and plan for a career. To improve their programs, curriculum, and delivery strategies, they welcome and ask business and industry partners to share insights into their current needs and business trends. The CTAE department values the input of all local business and industry representatives and invites you to become a part of a growing team of local and regional professionals who help shape the coursework and product taught to the students. Please contact Lara Norris, Director, CTAE at Peach County High School, to learn more about how to get involved and become a member of the Advisory team. 

    Profile of a Georgia CTAE Graduate

    Students who are "Pathway completers" and have successfully navigated their coursework and exams, come away from the experience with valuable skills and competencies.  In many cases, CTAE students have taken part in work based learning opportunities, internships and CTSO group activities that further prepare them for life outside of the high school setting.

    They will:

    What are Career Clusters?

    Georgia's Career Clusters allow students to choose an area of interest in high school from the 17 clusters listed below. Students take classes tailored to their cluster, which helps them navigate their way to greater success – no matter what they choose to do after high school graduation.  

    Within each page below are the State Board of Education approved CTAE Career Pathways with three sequenced courses. 

    Which Career Clusters are offered at Peach County High School?

    Peach County High School Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) pathways and courses available for the 2023 – 2024 school year are listed below. These programs are designed to prepare youth for a broad range of employment and further education opportunities. 

    • Audio-Video Technology and Film 
    • Entrepreneurship  
    • Computer Science  
    • Agriculture/Veterinary Science 
    • Agriculture/Plant and Landscape  
    • Nutrition and Food Science
    • Agriculture Mechanics 
    • Business and Technology
    • General Automobile Technology
    • Advanced Automobile Technology
    • Certified Nursing Aide
    • Health Science/Allied Health 
    • Health Science/Sports Medicine  

    The following courses are offered on campus as a Dual Enrollment course with Central Georgia Technical College: 

    • Criminal Justice
    • Early Childhood
    • Cosmetology

    All Career, Technical & Agricultural Education (CTAE) programs follow the system’s policies of non-discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, and disability in all programs, services, activities, and employment. In addition, arrangements can be made to ensure that the lack of English language proficiency is not a barrier to admission or participation. 

    YouScience
    In fiscal year 2018, the State of Georgia adopted the YouScience platform to help students understand their unique interests and aptitudes. The YouScience platform is available to all public schools in Georgia. The initial fiscal year 2018 YouScience implementation focused on high school students. In fiscal year 2019, Georgia adopted YouScience's middle school career exploration tool.

    YouScience has the unique ability to assess both student interest and aptitude, which helps match students to more pathway and career options and increases the percentage of students who are college and career ready. The system uncovers students’ talents to create a larger, more diverse workforce. YouScience implementation at the middle school level meets the Bridge Bill’s requirement that eighth-grade students shall develop an individual graduation plan based on their academic skills, career-oriented aptitudes, and career interests.

    During the 2020-2021 school year, Georgia students completed 142,846 YouScience assessments in 173 school districts.  From the CTAE Delivers: 2020-2021 Annual Report and the Georgia Department of Education

    What is Work Based Learning?

    Work-Based Learning is a federally-supported program in career and technical education (CTE) that connects workplaces to the classroom to prepare students for real-world careers. The goal of every program is the same — to prepare the next generation of the American workforce. Students gain real-life work experience where they can apply academic and technical skills on the job. Students receive academic high school credit. It’s usually a win-win situation where the students get on the job training and the company gets a skilled employee.  

    If your company or business is interested in learning more about the program or partnering with the WBL program at Peach County High School, please reach out by emailing Traci Jolley, PCHS WBL Coordinator.   

    Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO)

    Peach County Schools Career, Technology & Agricultural Programs provides several opportunities for students to take their interest in a career to the next step by participating in a Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO). A CTSO is not a club, it is a community minded student run organization that plays a integral role in preparing students to become college and career ready.  They provide a unique program of leadership development, motivation, personal growth and recognition for the high school student.

    Peach County Schools offer the following CTSOs 

    • Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
    • Future Health Professions (HOSA)
    • SkillsUSA
    • National FFA Organization (FFA)
    • Hot Rodders of Tomorrow
    • Georgia First Robotics

    FBLA – Future Business Leaders of America
    The concept for Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) was developed in 1937 and the first high school chapter was chartered in Tennessee in 1942. Since then FBLA is now in middle school, college and in the professional world with their professional division.  FBLA is a student lead business organization based on teaching student’s leadership and business skills with an emphasis on community service. FBLA is an important partner in the success of school-to-work programs, business education curriculums, and student leadership development. FBLA members have an opportunity to compete in regional and state events including but not limited to Accounting, Business Plans, Public Speaking, Job Interview to Word Processing. 

    HOSA-Future Health Professionals is a global student-led organization, whose mission is to promote career opportunities in the health industry and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people. Future Health Professionals is a student lead organization focused on healthcare-related learning and career development.  Students compete in a range of competitions from public speaking, to CPR, various leadership events, and specific healthcare career events.  Healthcare classes welcome many guest speakers like respiratory therapists, laboratory personnel, radiology, and athletic trainers.  Students have the opportunity to choose between three healthcare pathways, one being a dual enrollment program that would allow students to enter the healthcare field directly after graduating high school.  Work-based learning offers the opportunity for students to be placed in healthcare jobs, for example, Primary Pediatrics as a tech. PCHS HOSA has 52 paid members for 2022-2023, HOSA hosts 4 blood drives in partnership with American Red Cross.

    SkillsUSA
    SkillsUSA is a student lead organization working with industry leaders to prepare students for careers in the trade, technical and skilled service occupations. Students from any of the CTAE programs can become a member of SkillsUSA. Our local chapter is still growing and encompasses the Audio Video Film Technology, Automotive Service Technology, and Criminal Justice career clusters at Peach County High School. Our students compete in related competitions associated with these clusters. Guest speakers, job shadowing and field trips are welcome for any of these programs. 

    FFA - Future Farmers of America
    The letters “FFA” stand for Future Farmers of America. These letters are a part of our history and our heritage that will never change. But FFA is not just for students who want to be production farmers; FFA also welcomes members who aspire to careers as teachers, doctors, scientists, business owners and more. For this reason, the name of the organization was updated in 1988 after a vote of national convention delegates to reflect the growing diversity and new opportunities in the industry of agriculture.  Today, the National FFA Organization remains committed to the individual student, providing a path to achievement in premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. 

    The FFA Organization is an inter-curricular organization with the Agricultural Education Program. Students can take what they learned in class and apply career and leadership skills through the FFA Organization. The FFA allows students to gain real world experience in ANY area of agriculture as well as other professions. Students will have opportunities to participate in field trips, community service, and so much more! 

    Technology Student Association
    Georgia Technology Student Association (TSA) chapters prepare students to be successful inventors, designers, creative problem solvers, responsible citizens and leaders in a technological society.  Georgia TSA prepares its members to be successful leaders in a technological society through co-curricular activities such as communication, leadership, teamwork and competitive skill development.

    2022 School Year Data - Peach County

    # of students taking CTAE courses: Middle school (621); High school (970)
    # of students enrolled in WBL: 46
    # of middle and high school career pathways offered to students: 3 and 14, respectively
    # of students who completed a career pathway of courses: 293
    # number of students engaged in a CTSO: 619 (duplicated; some students in more than one CTSO)
    % graduation rate of CTAE students: 96% of students that have taken 2 or more CTAE courses graduate on time

     

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