More than 300 students at Andalusia High School participate in a career technical education program.

ACS Career Tech Director Ray Wilson said that this month is designated as Alabama Career and Technical Education month by the state department of education.

“This year’s theme is Celebrate Today, Own Tomorrow,” he said. “From a national perspective, there are more than 14 million secondary and post-secondary career and technical education students in the United States. Career and technical education is offered in middle school, high school and at post secondary schools nationwide.”

Wilson said CTE covers a wide range of career areas, including: entrepreneurship, automotive, architecture, teaching and education, carpentry, nursing, dental, medical technicians, food and fiber production, agribusiness, culinary arts, business management, communication, marketing, technology, engineering, and much more.

At AHS, there are several options available to allow students to learn more and be better prepared for the real world.

“Here at Andalusia High School, we have some outstanding teachers that strive to keep our CTE programs thriving and one of the top programs in the state,” Wilson said. “Jana Clark is over our Family and Consumer Science programs that we offer and she is also sponsors FCCLA; Anthony Mikel is over our agribusiness, welding, and our work-based learning programs; Sara Mixson and Evan Soles are both fine leaders of our business education program. Sara is the sponsor of our DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America).

Wilson said that career and technical education prepares students for a wide range of careers that require varying levels of education – high school diplomas, post secondary certificates, two-and-four-year college degrees and advanced academic credentials (master’s and doctoral).”

Wilson said that health care occupations are expected to make up seven of the nation’s upcoming top 20 fastest growing occupations.

“Individuals with CTE-related associate degrees or credentials will more than likely earn an average of $5,000 to $15,000 more a year than those with humanities or social science degrees and those credentials in high demand fields such as health care can average almost $20,000 more a year.”