Eleven Ventura County high schools attended the Career Technical Education Day March 12 on Moorpark College’s campus.
That the available programs span more than what is typically expected from a community college degree, according to Trevor Hess, the CTE program counselor and event organizer.
“There’s so much more to that,” said Hess. “All of these education pathways can lead to good work right after Moorpark College, or transfer.”
The second year of this event is highlighting Moorpark’s CTE pathways and technical programs for prospective high school students as they look towards college.
Many students are not aware of degree paths outside the typical four-year university path. Moorpark offers unique degrees in fields that can put students to work right away by a certificate or two-year associates. The added affordability of community colleges let students boost their earning potential for full time work, or while they work and pursue their four-year degree. That earning potential could prove crucial to their ability to pursue some bachelors, especially since a 2015 Georgetown University study showed over 70 percent of college students work while attending school.
Jennifer Rogstad, a Westlake High school anatomy and physiology teacher attending the event spoke of the importance of students knowing those different routes to success through college.
“So many of the students are not aware of different pathways after high school,” said Rogstad. “That you can go on and get a two year degree and get a job right away, go on, then get a 4 year degree, that you have options.”
Students were receptive to those options as they toured the campus with Moorpark College Associated Students. The high schoolers sat in on classes ranging from Radiology, production makeup and the Makers Space 3-D sculpture lab. The day displayed the range of programs available at Moorpark that could fit their interest.
Students should be interested in their field according to Dr. Zenda Abbott. Her keynote speech touched on the importance of passions.
“What would you do if nobody paid you to do it,” said Abbott. “That’s your passion.”
Abbott told students to write that down and prompted them to ask themselves further questions on how they could achieve their goals. Abbott outlined her own path as an example of overcoming past mistakes and how she turned them to success.
Abbot also touched on how the work environment was changing, and how students could succeed in it through education.
“It’s not just what you know and it’s not who you know anymore; it’s who knows you,” said Abbott. “The hard part is where you are right now mentally and where you need to be, this room, this college, this is where the magic happens.”
The college has a high ranking among community colleges, one of the only degree paths in Exotic Animal Training and Management and a teaching zoo on campus. Points like these led some students to consider the college more seriously.
Brooke Gilliam, a Thousand Oaks High School senior looking for a school to pursue a degree in biology said she is undecided on schools, and being away from her parents for college would be a hard transition for her. However, the Zoo on campus has made her consider Moorpark.
“It seems like a really nice and peaceful place,” said Gilliam.
This year’s CTE event proved an successful showcase of what is available to Ventura County high school students as they chart their path to higher education. That path is more flexible than they might realize.
“I want students to know that college is accessible, its affordable, and its valuable,” said Hess.
