CTE Program Offers Valuable Skills for Students in Early College High School

Updated: September 16, 2024

By Mike Villarreal

The school year has just begun, and the Brownsville CTE (Career & Technical Education) program at Lopez Early College High School is well underway, with Lobo students diving into pipefitting through hands-on exploration. This hands-on approach is helping students gain valuable life skills, engage with real-world tools, and deepen their understanding and passion for the field.

Lopez ECHS expresses gratitude to their industry partners, Bechtel Corporation and NextDecade Rio Grande LNG, for their collaboration in advancing the P-Tech (Pathways in Technology ECHS) initiatives at BISD and paving the way for regional job opportunities.

Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-Tech) are innovative open-enrollment high schools that provide underserved and at-risk students with a chance to earn a high school diploma, credential, and associate degree. P-Tech programs offer work experience through internships, apprenticeships, and other job training programs.

Students in grades 9-12 can complete a course of study combining high school and post-secondary courses, enabling them to earn a high school diploma, an associate degree, level 1 or level 2 certification, or industry-based certification within six years.

P-Tech also provides age-appropriate work-based learning opportunities at every grade level and partners with Texas Institutions of Higher Education (IHES) and regional businesses and industries, giving students valuable access to post-secondary education and workforce training opportunities.
The P-Tech blueprint outlines design elements that each P-Tech campus must implement before serving students and provides essential principles and standards for innovative collaborations with universities, colleges, and industry.
Photos from the Brownsville Career & Technical Education Facebook Page