Career Technical Education Signing Day stats

81 students from 27 high schools attended the national Career Technical Education Signing Day at Linn-Benton Community College Feb. 15, where they signed letters of intent to guarantee a spot in one of LBCC’s CTE programs starting next fall.

Programs seeing the largest turnout were welding with 23 students and heavy equipment diesel training with 18. Students also signed up to attend programs in culinary arts, horticulture, medical assistant, accounting, network administration, business management, machine tool, mechatronics, CADD, water, environment and technology, non-destructive test, and automotive tech.

Held in partnership with Albany Pipeline to Jobs and the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3), CTE Sign Day is a national event with 55 community colleges and trade schools across the country participating this year. CTE skill sets are in high-demand across the country, and most LBCC CTE students land jobs while still in their programs.

LBCC’s event featured approximately 20 local sponsors and several guest speakers including Lee Weber, president ATI Specialty Alloys and Components, Mike Sykes, Albany City Council and owner/president of Mikes Heating and Air, and representatives from Snap-On Tools, TRANE, Greenlee, NC3, Fiat Chrysler Automotive, the Oregon Department of Education, and Dave Turin of Discovery Channel "Gold Rush” series.