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Instructor Robert Encinio, right, gives directions to a student who is enrolled in the Center for Career and Technical Education at ��ο��Ƶ-Gallup during a class inside the Construction Technology building on May 9, 2024.

Center for Career and Technical Education prepares students for the real world

Categories: Students   Faculty   Staff   Community  

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New director and long-time coordinator express passion and dedication to student success

By Richard Reyes, Friday, July 26, 2024

GALLUP, N.M. — With a new director at the helm alongside a dedicated long-time coordinator, the Center for Career and Technical Education (CCTE) at ��ο��Ƶ-Gallup is collaborating with area high schools to provide students with hands-on, career-focused education.

The Center for Career and Technical Education is a cooperative effort between ��ο��Ƶ-Gallup and Gallup-McKinley County Schools, Rehoboth Christian School, Gallup Christian School, Zuni Public School District, Wingate High School, Middle College High School and Hozho Academy to offer career and technical education courses to the community.

“We have different programs of study mostly focusing on high-demand, high-skill jobs,” said Karla Baldonado, who returned to ��ο��Ƶ-Gallup as the new CCTE director in December 2023. “These are technical courses of study geared toward preparing students for a more real-world scenario once they hit their chosen job field.”

Gaining on-the-job training

The CCTE programs of study include:

• Automotive technology.
• Construction technology.
• Cosmetology.
• Criminal justice.
• Culinary arts.
• Design and digital media.
• Fire science technology.
• Health careers.
• Multi-Vocational Service Occupations (MVSO).
• Students Achieving New Directions (SAND).
• Welding technology.

Baldonado explained the MVSO and SAND programs work with community businesses to provide students with on-the-job training.

Students can gain experience working at places such as Point S American Tire, the Community Pantry, local elementary schools and the ��ο��Ƶ-Gallup Bookstore.

CCTE Program Coordinator Bobbi Campos said students sometimes receive job offers from their work site after they finish the program.

Learning skills at minimal cost

Baldonado said students will also learn soft skills, such as communication, teamwork and interpersonal skills through the CCTE program. They can gain a better connection to their community too.

Class sizes average about 15 students, and students can earn up to 18 credits participating in CCTE, giving them a jump start on the degree or career they want to pursue.

From there, Campos works closely with the counselors to make sure everything is in order for the students.

“I’m very passionate about this program,” Campos said. “I see its potential. When you get a new set of students at the beginning of the year, you literally see their growth throughout the year. … You can see them change. And we’re here to support them. We’re here to help them succeed.”

“Faculty are super passionate about what they do as well in their given fields,” Baldonado added. “There’s a lot of support for the students in this program, for sure.”

Supporting student success

Many students in CCTE also participate in SkillsUSA, which is an added opportunity to practice their work-related skills and showcase them in a competitive setting. ��ο��Ƶ-Gallup and several local high schools have SkillsUSA chapters. In recent years, the ��ο��Ƶ-Gallup SkillsUSA Chapter has seen success at the state and national levels.

Baldonado is also a familiar face at ��ο��Ƶ-Gallup. Previously, she managed the Center for Academic Learning for seven years. She then spent a year working from home, but returned to ��ο��Ƶ-Gallup to take the job as CCTE director.

“I really missed working with students,” she said. “That’s one thing that I feel like fills my every day — working with students, supporting them and their college goals.”

For questions about the Center for Career and Technical Education, please contact:

• Karla Baldonado, 505-863-7705 or kvbaldona@unm.edu.
• Bobbi Campos, 505-863-7555 or bcampos@unm.edu.

To learn more about the program, please visit the CCTE website here.