Programs Supporting Health Services
- Dental Assisting
- Medical Assisting
- Medical/Science/Health Careers
- Pharmacy Technician*
- Sports Medicine and Kinesiology
- Veterinary Science
This is a fantastic facility and resource for our students, about 300 of whom take coursework there for either the afternoon or morning sessions, with busing provided between the Center and their home school. The Center is a JPA (Joint Powers Authority) funded by grants and payments from the six participating districts that have students attending. Classes are designed specifically for high school students, but adults may register on a space-available basis. Some may remember the Center as the CCOC, and would be astonished to see this modern-day version of career technical education providing desperately needed skilled labor to area businesses and the health and human services sector.The courses are rigorous and challenging, and they prepare students for either career or college, as most of them have received A-G approval from the university system.
Our Center, and many other CTE centers in the state, needs Direct Funding. Due to the current funding instability, nearly half of California's CTE centers have now had to close. We have intensified our outreach to elected officials to advocate on behalf of sustainable funding.
Programs Supporting Community Services
- Fire Science / First Responder
- Forensic Science
- Law Enforcement*
Programs Supporting Area Businesses
- Animation
- Auto Body Refinishing*
- Auto Body Repair*
- Automotive Services 1 and 2*
- Construction Technology
- Culinary Arts 1 and 2*
- Cyber Security
- Electrical Maintenance*
- Fashion Design and Textile Art 1 and 2
- Film and Video Production
- Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning
- Mechatronics Engineering
- Metals Technology 1 and 2
- Mobile App Design and Computer Coding
- Truck Mechanics 1 and 2
For my part, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND why programs of such value to our students and community should have to struggle to stay open and current !
If you believe in the value of career technical education, please read through to the bottom of the page. After 103 years, our ability to keep the doors open is seriously in question.
Our most recent honor: The Fire Science Program received the Golden Bell Award.
On this day, in a style similar to signing day events for student athletes, seniors are applauded as they announce their career plans and sign “letters of intent” for a job offer, apprenticeship, or advanced technical training in residential wiring, building trades and renovations, HVAC or plumbing.
At last year’s press conference, Quarterback Garoppolo was joined by his father, Tony, a retired career electrician. He stated, “Having witnessed firsthand the dedication, skill, and effort of my dad for over 40 years, I think’s important to acknowledge and applaud these young people who are choosing to pursue careers in these much needed and highly skilled trades.” He was planning to return this year before COVID got in the way. Still, it did not stop our graduates from being in high demand.
with Jimmy Garoppolo !
So- - since SVCTE is meeting a clear and demonstrable need in the community, why must we struggle to keep our doors open?
On January 29, 2020, Superintendent Lynch again addessed the State Assembly to stress the critical importance of direct funding and more grant dollars for CTE. She advised them that our center, which has been open and meeting workforce needs in the Santa Clara Valley and beyond for over 100 years, is at risk. She also stated that only a few years ago, California had 27 great centers like ours, and now there are exactly 14. Since then, several key legislators have agreed to sponsor legistlation to restore our funding.
We are also making an ongoing appeal to the City and County for one-time "bridge funding" to see us through the COVID crisis.
We offer economy of scale!
Moreover, basic skills like reading take on new relevance. I observed students in the electrical program pooring over a huge and intimidating manual, re-reading every line together until they grasped the meaning -or identified a step over-looked. So we now have a reading comprehension program built into their electrical training because nothing, and I mean NOTHING, makes a skill matter so much as the need for it!
Many economists, business owners, and labor leaders have raised alarms that more jobs are available than there are applicants with the skills needed to fill them. Local filmmaker Bob Gliner produced a documentary entitled “Job Centered Learning” that aired on PBS stations and features students and teachers at our own Silicon Valley Career Technical Education (SVCTE). It does a spendid job of highlighting this need which is not, to my knowledge, in dispute anywhere.
9-minute video made by SVCTE student of Jonathan Furtado https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THlqfJ-hj8s
3- minute Video made by HVAC student https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bl_b2ZOztA
3- minute video in heavy truck mechanics classroom https://vimeo.com/447991977/767536b1f0
Spotlight Article https://sanjosespotlight.com/silicon-valley-trade-school-that-trains-essential-workers-at-risk-of-closure/
At SVCTE . . .
- Students get excited about learning. They have a sense of belonging because they are learning about a skill of their choice with others who share their interest.
- They improve their grade point averages and attendance, and earn industry certifications.
- A whopping 68% go on to college because they have found something about which they are passionate and want to continue their education in that field. For example, our dental assisting program has already led to one full-fledged dentist and another in dental school.
- They can go directly to work after high school in possession of a highly marketable skill. Some become remarkably successful in a very short period. One graduate of our heavy truck mechanics program was making well over six figures for Caterpillar at age 25. One of our medical assisting graduates works with cardiac implant devices at a local hospital. They are so impressed with her that they have offered to pay her college expenses!
- Students gain career options without crushing student debt--important as over half of our students are economically disadvantages. 86% are from various minorities.
We lost direct funding from the State in 2013, making us completely dependent on our partner districts who are struggling with their own budgets. That is why Superintendent Lynch I are leading our legislative effort in Sacramento. We have also made repeated appeals to our City and County officials for temporary financial help to see us through the COVID crisis and give us the time and support needed to be successful in Sacramento. It would also be wonderful if more area businesses would step up to help out, because rising costs are forcing cuts, just as demand for our programs is increasing. And like any school, we have to deal with deferred maintenance, the need to constantly modernize program equipment, and the rising cost of health and retirement benefits.
https://www.metroed.net/svcte/
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The need for skilled labot to aid in our economic recovery
- Access to free training and skills certifications opening up lifetime career opportunities to our most disadvantaged students.
MetroEd / SVCTE is a "monument to educational equity," serving students from 40 different high schools and meeting two critical needs of the region:
