TEMPLE, Texas — Temple Independent School District eighth graders had a chance to explore the future as they prepare for high school with Temple High School hosting career days this week. Eighth graders from all three of the district’s middle schools toured the Career and Technical Education Center at Temple High School during the event.
More than 650 eighth graders participated over three days of tours during the program. Each day started with a brief introduction to Temple High School and the CTE program. Charley Ayres, director of industry and education partnerships at Workforce Solutions of Central Texas, then shared a brief talk about “What students need to be, no matter what they become.” He focused on the four C’s (being careful, cheerful, committed and conscientious) students should remember regardless of the path they choose in the future. Students then broke into groups to tour the center and hear directly from Temple High School student ambassadors about the possibilities ahead of them.
“It is such an exciting event for us on two levels. You can watch the eighth graders throughout the day and just see their eyes get bigger and bigger,” said Denise Ayres, director of CTE for Temple ISD. “They don’t really know what to expect going into the career day. It is also so much fun to see our student ambassadors share their passion for their programs with the eighth graders. Those students do such a great job in selling the programs and seem to stand up a little straighter on these days because of the pride they have for their fields of study.”
Those student ambassadors gave brief introductions to each program to groups as they rotated through the facilities. The current high schoolers shared experiences about their time in CTE and answered questions from the eighth graders. The students also had an opportunity to educate the eighth graders on the potential to earn certifications during their high school careers to jump start the job search process for in-demand careers.
“Career day gives our incoming students a great opportunity to learn about all of the programs and career paths we offer,” said Brianna Snider, veterinary sciences teacher. “I think it really opens some eyes to new options and is such an educational experience as they start to make some decisions going into high school. It is also a chance for our current students to share about their experiences and really give the eighth graders some insight into the potential pathways they can choose.”
Temple High School CTE offers career courses across 13 different career clusters. Students can also earn dual credit or professional certifications through the department.