Harrison Mayor Jerry Jackson has proclaimed February as Career and Technical Education (CTE) month in Harrison on the heels of a state-wide declaration by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

The full story is below from North Arkansas College's Press Release:

During the monthly North Arkansas College (Northark) Board of Trustees meeting the Mayor read a proclamation stating career and technical education (CTE) offers students the opportunity to achieve the academic, technical, and employability skills needed for career readiness. Northark provides training to high school students at Leslie, Huntsville/St. Paul, Berryville and on the North Campus, where students receive training at no cost to them. This allows them to explore career paths and learn about local employment opportunities. Mayor Jackson noted Northark offers two Manufacturing Days annually in October for students to tour local manufacturing facilities and is a partner of the Workforce Initiative Network (WIN). He recognized Northark for offering over 39 Career in a Year programs aimed at fast-tracking students from college into careers.

Scott Howie, director of the Northark Technical Center told Trustees about recent improvements on the North Campus such as new equipment and provided a list of large community projects completed or currently underway in the area. He said a new semi-truck had been purchased and another instructor hired. This enabled Northark to double program completers by offering larger classes more frequently. Howie said the CDL classes are very popular.

High school students enrolled in career and technical education courses totaled 257 for the fall semester. Students attend on six campuses across the area from 24 different school districts. “We’re not just affecting Harrison, we’re educating students across the region,” Howie said.

The Association for Career and Technical Education’s 2022 Fact Sheet reports the benefits of CTE extend into employment. For instance, associate degree holders in CTE fields like engineering, IT, health care and skilled trade occupations can earn up to $2.8 million over their lifetimes – the same as the median lifetime earnings for workers with bachelor’s degrees.

Northark will host a National Signing Day ceremony on April 20 in which students entering career and technical fields will sign letters of intent to attend Northark. Local business and educational partners along with parents and instructors will celebrate the signing along with students. The public is invited to attend.