Kessler called working on the project “full-circle,” adding that the CTE programs at the new center would be a step up for the district.
“I was drafting designs at the end of a little hall,” he said. “Students here are going to experience jobs as closely to a real world setting as possible. The difference is going to be night and day.”
What you need to know
PISD CTE Director Karen Buechman said that the CTE Center will allow the district to expand on its “already rapidly growing” CTE programming in a space accessible to all students.
“We had programs that were at specific schools ... so we needed to expand,” she said. “We needed to add programs that are high-wage and in demand—once our kids leave, we’re setting them up to be leaders in a global workforce.”
The center will feature 18 programs ranging from automotive repair to cybersecurity and several more, each with a dedicated space.
Certain programs will be accessible to the public, such as a full-service restaurant run by Culinary Arts students and a functioning credit union run by finance students.
Superintendent Theresa Williams said that staff met with industry partners, local higher education institutions and studied workforce data to land on which programs needed to be included at the CTE Center.
“We’re also continuing to find and add those industry partners, because I think that’s what enriches the experience for our students,” Williams said. “We’re building tomorrow’s workforce pipeline, and so we need to make sure that our kids are learning in a way that is as relevant to the real world as possible.”
Construction of the 150,000-square-foot center broke ground in November 2024, and is expected to cost around $72.2 million. The project is funded by the district’s 2022 bond.
Looking ahead
Buechman said that more than 29,000 students took CTE courses last school year, and PISD eighth graders got their first look at those opportunities at an Oct. 22 expo.
“It was our first year doing it and you couldn’t find a parking space,” Williams said. “I think that was a good indicator of the demand. Eventually, we may even outgrow the CTE Center.”
Kessler added that the center was “designed for expansion,” and CTE Center Principal Jean Laswell said that staff is remaining adaptable with the curriculum.
“It was all about how we can make those spaces as fluid as possible,” she said. “We adapt as quickly as possible, and make sure the students are ready. ... Every single one of these programs is getting students real world experience that helps them in college or going straight into the workforce.”
More information on the CTE center can be found here, while more information on PISD’s CTE programming can be found here.
