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Career & Technical Education

During February, the Career and Technical Education department hosted several guest speakers and panel discussions. Above and below are pictures from the Entrepreneurship and Healthcare Panel Discussion.  We appreciate all the community members who share their time with out students.

President of the Henderson Vance Chamber of Commerce shares her wisdom with students in one of the Career Development classes.  We greatly appreciate her support of Career and Technical Education.

 

VCHS Students visit 8th graders

On Friday, February 27, students from Vance County High School visited the STEM Early High School and Vance County Middle School to talk to 8th graders about Career and Technical Education classes at the high school level.  Pictured below are Heaven Jeffreys, Aliyah Alston, Diamond Foster, Maria Diaz, Selena Martin, Michael Bullock, Da'Najah Burwell, Dynasty Durham, and Keshona Sumter.


 

 

 

Vance County  Middle School and the STEM Early High School focus on Career Exploration.  Students may learn the basics of keyboarding and word processing, computer science, public safety, and even automation and robotics.  

 

 

 

 

North Carolina is a national leader in Career and Technical Education (CTE), ranking second in the U.S. with over 36% of K-12 students enrolled in 2024-2025, during which they earned a record 382,964 industry-recognized credentials. CTE concentrators in NC have a 98% graduation rate, significantly outpacing the state's overall 86-87.6% rate. 

Key 2024-2025 NC CTE Stats:

  • Credential Attainment: Students earned a record 382,964 credentials, a 59% attainment rate.
  • Participation: Over 36% of all students are enrolled in CTE.
  • Graduation Rate: CTE concentrators reached a 98% graduation rate.
  • Top Clusters: Health Science (73% employment rate, $41,074 median wage) and Information Technology (69% employment, $40,871 median wage) are among the top career clusters.
  • Post-Program Success: 96.5% of CTE students were placed in post-program employment or education. 

Key Economic & Enrollment Stats:

  • Total Enrollment: Over 845,000 enrollments in CTE, with 547,176 secondary participants reported earlier.
  • Workforce Impact: 70,182 "priority credentials" were awarded, which are linked to high-demand, high-wage jobs in the state.
  • Salary: The average salary for a CTE teacher in NC is approximately $42,341 per year as of February 2026. 

Dr. Elaine Webb, Career and Technical Education Director

1724 Graham Ave

Henderson, NC  27536

252-492-2127 ext 2316

ewebb@vcs.k12.nc.us

 

Xello Introduction for Educators

Xello Introduction for Students

 

The purpose of Career and Technical Education (CTE) in Vance County Schools is to prepare students for life after high school by providing them with  career exploration opportunities, developing student work-force ready skills and enhancing learning experiences. Our priority is ensuring students are ready for the next step after graduation, that leads to gainful employment for living wage careers. CTE programs offer a range of training opportunities that go beyond traditional academic subjects, equipping students with practical skills and real-world experiences. CTE in Vance County Schools is working to bridge the gap between education and employment. 

Elementary students are made aware of what a career is and are exposed to many careers along our 2 pathways through field trips, career fairs, guest speakers and CFI sponsored events.  All fifth grade students will be issued a Career Awareness Activity Book in September.

Middle School students explore our 2 pathways via their middle school electives. Learners will also engage in careers along the opposite pathway from their school through S.L.I.C.E. Labs (Simulated Labs for Interactive Career Exploration) and innovation fairs, as well as Paxton Patterson Labs.

High School students engage in career preparation which includes students concentrating on high school career pathways where they can earn industry credentials and essential employability skills. By high school, students have had many unique, hands-on enhanced learning experiences through classes, mobile exploration units, S.L.I.C.E. Labs, counseling, and mentorship.