Over the past several years, GFW Public Schools has focused on creating better career pathways for our students by improving existing Career & Technical Education (CTE) courses, creating new CTE courses, and building better relationships with businesses in our community.
To begin this process, the district utilized the Minnesota Department of Education’s Career and College Readiness Framework as a guiding document to create our three Academies. Each academy has a variety of career pathways to help identify courses that could best prepare students for their future careers.
The AEM Academy is focused on career areas: including Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources, Architecture & Construction; Manufacturing, and Science, Technology, Engineering & Math. The BACE Academy encompasses a variety of careers including Art, Audio/Video Technology & Communications, Business, Management & Administration, Finance, Hospitality & Tourism, and Marketing, Sales & Service. Finally, the HSHS Academy concentrates on Health Sciences, Education and Training, Government and Public Administration, and Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security.
Many of the courses offered through our academies also qualify for college credit at various area colleges through developed articulation agreements. By offering many new elective courses as well as college credit options and industry certifications, students are able to get a head start on their preferred career path right in our building and become career and college ready.
A great example of providing our students with the chance to see what kind of careers are out there happened on October 11. Our 10th graders attended Ridgewater’s Ignite Your Future event which was an interactive opportunity for students to have access to over 70 hands-on career exploration activities including nursing stations, cosmetology stations, and additional outside activities such as DNR, AG fields, SWAT team, paramedics, and more!
After the trip, Dean of Students Staci Wood has shared that students are excited about exploring different career paths, looking into PSEO options, or starting their college research. We love seeing students get excited about their futures!
