The Sharyland ISD Spring 2021 CTE Advisory Committee met on April 29th. Approximately 75 participants attended the end-of-year virtual meeting. Yoelia Nava, CTE Director [Pictured], shared CTE up-dates with board members which included program growths. She mentioned that the Work-Based Learning programs will focus on 10-hour internships and encourage business and industry partners to open their doors to student interns. Nava thanked the members for their time and effort to the Sharyland ISD CTE department and encouraged them to return next school year. Participants were then sent sub-group chat rooms based on their career area.

Of special interest in the sub-group meetings was that the RGV LEAD / Sharyland ISD Regional Ambassadors served as moderators. The Ambassadors asked questions relative to the career cluster such as the education level needed for the career, where the career opportunities are headed, special concerns for the career classes, etc. Sharyland ISD CTE teachers, postsecondary partners, and business partners participated in the sub-groups.

Corina Lopez-Garcia, the CTE coordinator, followed up the meeting with an email to the Sharyland ISD Advisory Board members:

“Your feedback and expertise regarding higher education programs, employment trends, employable skills, and suggestions for our students and CTE teachers were extremely insightful, eye-opening, and truly inspiring. We have heard some of the feedback from our teachers, students, and staff, and we all agree that your presence and willingness to share your knowledge and learn more about our programs, as well as the suggestions and advice you provided, were just what we needed as we come to the end of a challenging school year. Through the moderator notes and the records of the Sub-Committee Sessions, we learned that so many of you in Higher Education and Business and Industry is ready to assist our programs through offering presentations and tours to our students and staff, serving on future committee meetings, volunteering in our Student Mentorship Program, hosting Work-Based Learning opportunities for our students and so much more. We had a great representation from our community and we feel truly honored and privileged to have you as Partners in Education.”

The CTE department will use the Advisory Boards’ feedback, comments, and suggestions to begin mapping out future collaboration efforts. Board members are invited to submit any information they would like to share with students regarding their programs of study and degree plans as well as any employment/internship opportunities they may have. Sharyland ISD looks forward to strengthening its current partnerships with those who have served the district for so many years and establishing new partnerships with all new Advisory Committee Members.
(Source: SISD CTE Dept.)