Monday, February 10, 2014

Guadagno Highlights Tech Ed In NJ

New Jersey Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno today kicked off a tour of New Jersey’s career technical education centers by showcasing partnerships between the Bergen County Technical High School with business and higher education.

“February is National Career and Technical Education Month, and we want to highlight how vocational technical schools have really reinvented their programming from the ‘trade schools’ of previous generations,” said Lt. Governor Guadagno. “One way to demonstrate this transformation is to place a spotlight on some of the powerhouse partnerships that New Jersey’s career and technical schools have forged with business, industry and higher education.”

At Bergen County Technical High School’s Teterboro campus, Lt. Governor Guadagno met with students and educators to learn about an alliance between BMW and the school’s automotive engineering and design technology program, which offers courses in design, engineering performance, diagnostics and repair, clean air and alternative fuel, computer-assisted design, electronics and pre-engineering. BMW provides hands-on learning opportunities, state-of-the-art equipment, and internships in its business, law, and automotive departments.

The Lt. Governor also toured the school’s Culinology® program, which blends the science of food production and preservation research with cooking and culinary arts. The facility features a state-of-the-art kitchen as well as a separate science laboratory to conduct food chemistry and food microbiology experiments. The program – the first of its kind among high schools nationally – offers strong partnerships with PepsiCo, Rutgers University, and Hackensack University Medical Center.

Bergen County Technical High School - Teterboro was recognized in 2012 as a national Blue Ribbon High Performing School of Excellence. U.S. News & World Report rated it a “2013 Gold Medal High School” and in 2012 it was ranked 74th in the nation by Newsweek Magazine.

CTE programs are offered throughout New Jersey’s 21 county career technical education schools and in more than 100 traditional high schools. More than 90,000 secondary students participate in CTE programs, with approximately 30,000 of them attending the 21 career technical education centers. Approximately 70 percent of the state’s career-tech students attend college. Every county features partnerships with business, industry, colleges and universities.

In coming weeks, Lt. Governor Guadagno will tour career and technical education schools in other counties as a way to spotlight the programs and success stories of the county vocational schools.

“When you see these strong partnerships that New Jersey’s high schools have established with business and higher education, you truly understand how students are better prepared for college and career,” added Lt. Governor Guadagno. “These really are win-win alliances that help prepare our students for a lifetime of success.”

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