photo courtesy of MISD
Photo by Tamra SantanaStudents in Magnolia and Tomball have the opportunity to explore various careers while in school and earn certifications through a variety of courses offered at local public high schools.
The courses, which offer certifications in fields including welding, CPR and child guidance are expanding in popularity among students, said Matthew Clark, director of Career and Technical Education with Magnolia ISD.
"Our Career and Technical Education (CTE) program focuses on ensuring that students are college ready and workforce ready," said Gary Moss, Tomball ISD's director of Career and Technical Education. "We also want to prepare our students to become contributing members of the workforce within our community. The certifications that our students obtain enable them to enter the workforce immediately. They also provide the opportunity to further their education while working part time in the field in which they are certified."
This year, Magnolia is offering a Certified Nursing Assistant and Phlebotomy certification course. The CNA portion of the course is co-taught by district teacher and registered nurse Cheryl Halbert and Lone Star College–Tomball instructor Mia Jones. As part of the course, the students must spend 40 hours working as a nursing assistant in the community. The students began their work at Magnolia's Heritage Manor assisted living facility last month.
