West Contra Costa
Unified School District
Career Technical Education (CTE)
Career Technical Education (CTE) in WCCUSD by Industry
CTE: program of study that involves a multiyear sequence of courses that integrates core academic knowledge with technical and occupational knowledge to provide students with a pathway to post-secondary education and careers. This initiative is critical if California is to meet the challenges inherent in its diverse, rapidly changing education, economic, policy, and workforce environment. (California Department of Education)
High School Programs - Career Experience
Farm to Table @ Richmond High School
Media Academy - Digital Media Production @ Richmond High School
Media Academy - Digital Media Production @ El Cerrito High School
Building and Construction Trades at Kennedy High School
Education, Child Development, and Family Services
Education and Teaching @ Hercules High School
Education and Teaching @ Richmond High School
Education and Teaching @ Hercules High School
Education and Teaching @ Richmond High School
Fashion & Design @ Richmond High School
Business & Entrepreneurship @ Richmond High School
Fashion & Design @ Richmond High School
Law Academy @ Richmond High School
Law Academy @ De Anza High School
Manufacturing & Product Development
Welding Pathway @ Kennedy High School
Middle School Programs - Career Exploration
- Embedded Learning Modules: The adopted Science curriculum from Amplify Science includes embedded career-exploration lessons. Teachers across the disciplines can also select from several high-quality supplementary resources available to students via the Clever app. Because these resources are available digitally, students have access to career exploration learning 24/7.
- College & Career Readiness Labs: A hands-on, project-based, class where students learn about 18 different career industries, from video production, to child development, healthcare, drones, and culinary, to engineering and more.
- Gateway to Technology Labs: A hands-on, project-based, class focusing on skills and careers in engineering, technology, and computer science.
Elementary School Programs - Career Awareness
- Embedded Learning Modules: Elementary students learn about the world of work and future careers by exposure through embedded lessons in the adopted elementary science curriculum from Twig Science. Students also learn about future careers via a highly curated collection of supplementary learning programs that are accessible both at school and home via the Clever App.
- Fab Lab Experiences : The Richmond FabLab (Fabrication Laboratory) is a workshop equipped with computer-controlled machines that allow users to engage in rapid prototyping. It is open to students, teachers, staff, and the community and training is available for the machines and associated software.
In addition to the physical lab housed at Kennedy High School that is open to host study trips in addition to weekly open hours, we also have a Mobile FabLab unit that allows us to bring the fun and excitement directly to students. Schools can sign up to request visits from the Mobile FabLab throughout the year to support hands-on career skills experiences.
The College and Career Department annually acquires grant funding that supports a FabLab Manager and Instructional Coach who provide school and community outreach and support so that students throughout WCCSUD can experience tasks and possible careers in STEM.
