Students at Arkansas Tech Career Center visited the Arkansas State Capitol for Career and Technical Education Day on Tuesday, Feb. 3.
CTE students from across Arkansas came together at the Capitol to share their work and celebrate accomplishments in career and technical education throughout the state.
Five students from Arkansas Tech Career Center were selected to represent ATCC by presenting school projects and sharing how the CTE programs are preparing them for life after high school.
Construction technology students Tyler Walker and Timothy Hamilton, seniors from Dardanelle High School, partnered together to represent their program.
Walker shared how ATCC has helped prepare him for the workforce.
“ATCC gives us a foot in the door by learning how to work with a team and use the tools we’ll be working with after high school,” said Walker.
He also participated in an interview with Cyclone Broadcast, during which he demonstrated his tools and belt.
Hamilton described CTE Day as an eye-opening opportunity.
“It was a new experience and neat to see other high school and college students, the projects they brought and to learn from them,” said Hamilton.
Automation technology students Owen Hess, a senior at Russellville High School, and Nathan Sanborn, a junior, partnered on their project.
Despite weather-related challenges leading up to the event, they were able to complete the project.
“Programming the day before because of snow was challenging, but fun,” said Hess. “We got to show people what robots can do once humans help them along.”
Sanborn explained that once they arrived at the Capitol, they had to adjust on the fly.
“We had to rewire the project without our tools, so we used recycled materials to finish it,” said Sanborn. “We mounted the components outside the box so the buzzers could be heard.”
Welding student Bella Edrington, a senior from Lamar High School, showcased a project she spent four months completing.
“This project was all TIG welded,” said Edrington. “I got to explain what I learned, how I started welding and the entire welding process.”
Edrington also shared how CTE has helped accelerate her career plans. By earning concurrent credit now, she will have fewer classes remaining after high school, allowing her to begin working sooner. She plans to attend ATU-Ozark Campus to complete her degree before entering the workforce.
“The experience at the Capitol highlighted the technical skills ATCC students are developing, along with their ability to collaborate, problem-solve and share their knowledge,” said Dr. Sheila R. Jacobs, ATU-Ozark chancellor. “Through partnerships and events such as CTE Day, Arkansas Tech Career Center continues to open doors for students and prepare them for high-demand careers after high school. I am grateful for the leadership and direction Mr. Bill Mizaur is providing for ATCC faculty, staff and students in his role as ATCC director.”
To learn more about Arkansas Tech Career Center, visit www.atu.edu/careercenter.
