February is Career and Technical Education Month
Article presented by Pickaway-Ross CTC Adult Education …
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Each February, schools and communities across the United States observe Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month — a national celebration of the programs that equip students with the hands-on skills, industry credentials, and real-world experience they need to succeed in today’s economy. This year, Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center in Chillicothe is proud to take part in that celebration, spotlighting the dozens of programs and thousands of students it serves across Ross and Pickaway counties.
What Is CTE Month?
CTE Month is a nationwide initiative led by the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) to raise public awareness of CTE’s vital role in preparing students for careers and lifelong learning. Held every February, the observance gives schools, employers, families, and policymakers a chance to recognize the real-world impact of career-focused education.
Nationally, more than 85 percent of high school graduates take at least one CTE course before completing their diploma. Studies show that students who concentrate in CTE programs graduate at higher rates, earn more in the workforce, and are better prepared to pursue post-secondary education. With growing demand for skilled workers across healthcare, technology, construction, manufacturing, and other sectors, CTE has never been more essential to America’s economic future.
CTE Close to Home: Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center
Founded in 1974, Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center has served as a cornerstone of career-focused education in south-central Ohio for more than 50 years. The school offers high school career-technical programs to juniors and seniors from 12 partner districts — Adena, Chillicothe, Huntington, Paint Valley, Southeastern, Unioto, Zane Trace, Ross County Christian Academy, Circleville, Logan Elm, Westfall and New Hope — as well as Adult Education programming that serves working adults throughout the region.
Students at Pickaway-Ross train in fields including healthcare, information technology, construction technologies, advanced manufacturing, robotics, cosmetology, early childhood education, public safety, and many more. Upon graduation, students earn a Career Passport alongside their high school diploma — a portfolio of documented skills, certifications, and work-based learning experiences that gives them a competitive edge as they enter the workforce or continue their education.
The school’s commitment to modern, industry-relevant training was recently highlighted by a $7.6 million construction grant from the State of Ohio’s Career Technical Construction Program. The funding will support expanded and updated facilities for commercial carpentry, construction technologies, robotics, advanced manufacturing, and HVAC — ensuring Pickaway-Ross students train on the same equipment used by the region’s top employers.
Why CTE Month Matters for Our Community
CTE Month is more than a school event — it is a reminder of what is possible when education and the workforce work together. Employers in Pickaway and Ross counties face growing demand for skilled workers, and graduates of programs like those at Pickaway-Ross are uniquely prepared to meet that need. Many students graduate with certifications already in hand, enter apprenticeships, or step directly into full-time careers in the very industries where local employers are hiring.
For families, CTE Month is an opportunity to learn more about the pathways available to students right here in their own community. For businesses, it is a chance to connect with a pipeline of locally trained talent. And for students, it is a celebration of the skills they are building and the futures they are creating — one hands-on lesson at a time.
For more information about Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center and its programs, visit www.pickawayross.com or Marketing & Communications Coordinator Britany Greenwalt at Britany.greenwalt@pickawayross.com
