I'm old, so when I say "Tech Prep", some people reading this won't really know what I'm talking about. I was introduced to Tech Prep in the mid-90's, when there was a state and national push to encourage students to explore technical careers. At that time, "tech" usually meant construction trades, but "career training" has taken the place of "tech prep" and career training is more than just the trades.
Tech Prep in the mid-90's, though, was the seed that motivated me to see high school education a bit differently. Post-secondary training (training after high school) is more than just college, but unless we educators help our students see the variety of options that are available, many students just don't realize what our world offers. Not everyone is a great fit for college; just like not everyone is a great fit for military service. Yet in high schools today, how much information gets to all of our students about the other possibilities - options like apprenticeships, technical schools, school-to-work opportunities, specialty schools, community college career programs, online schools, academies, and many other options?
In a nutshell, the Training Path Presenter Series is a research project and it's a public speaking/presenting project. I invite representatives from a variety of post-secondary paths to speak with the students. The students are required to positively participate, and they must complete a short assignment. One of my goals if for students to determine the aspects of each path that may be attractive and not so attractive. Another goal is for students to determine which training path seems to be a good fit and which training path seems to be a poor fit.
After all presentations are completed (usually around ten), students then use the information they have gathered to create their own presentation to share what they are currently considering for their post-secondary training path. In addition, they must also present which path seems to be the worst fit for them.
The "start-up" for this project is a bit challenging, but most presenters return each year to spend time with students, describe their paths, and answer questions student may have.
For students, the experience is very valuable. I firmly believe the ability to see their possible future after high school makes their current experiences in high school more relevant. Even students interested in a non-traditional post secondary-path now can envision for themselves a training path after high school - something that may be a brand new concept.
For me, I get the chance to hear about changes or developments in a variety paths that help me feel more knowledgeable about life outside the walls of our high school. I do feel like we teachers too often see ourselves in a bubble, and we need to understand and always remember that our students are not all headed to the nearest university after graduation.
Parents are often very appreciative of this unit as well. They appreciate that their students are receiving a little blurb about a variety of possibilities to consider, and I often hear back from parents that their children started a conversation about their plans after high school.
Below is shared Google Doc with information about the unit. Feel free to steal anything or everything for your specific purpose. Nothing I do is copyrighted, and nothing I do is perfect. Use it to fit your needs.
Have fun inspiring your students today!
Handout of Training Path Presenter Series
Sgt. Rupp speaking with students about a military training path with the Army.
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