Career and Technical Education
Career and Technical Education (CTE) is a college program aimed at equipping students with the essential knowledge, skills, and expertise required to pursue specific career paths and become well-prepared for postsecondary education and the workforce. These programs are designed to offer hands-on learning experiences that foster academic, technical, and professional skill development for future careers. CTE motivates and engages students by providing real-world knowledge and opportunities for leadership, college credits through concurrent enrollment, industry-recognized credentials, and meaningful work-based learning experiences.
Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) provide students in CTE courses with valuable chances to develop practical skills and contribute positively to their community. Led by students themselves, these organizations offer a variety of activities, such as leadership roles, participation in competitions, attendance at career and leadership conferences, community projects, and collaboration with business partners. Involvement in a CTSO enhances academic motivation and engagement, fosters college aspirations, leads to improved grades, and equips students with employable skills.
CTSOs in Durango High Schools CTE programs include:
Work-Based Learning is an advanced course that enables students to enhance their existing knowledge and skills in a specific pathway. It focuses on developing both employability and technical skills, preparing students for future careers and post-secondary education. This learning approach incorporates various strategies to provide hands-on experiences, allowing students to explore potential career paths.
Capstone is an advanced course tailored to each student's specific program of study. It involves individualized and specialized work, which can be project-based or focused on industry certification. The instructor and student collaborate to determine the course's content and design.
PCC represents a Pueblo Community College course taught by DHS teachers at DHS. Each semester-long course allows students to earn 3 to 6 college credit hours.
A/B represents a year-long course.
L1, L2, L3, and L4 denote the successive levels of courses within a program. Students are required to follow the prescribed order, beginning with Level 1 (L1) and advancing through to the ultimate level, Level 4 (L4).