2024 CTE Expo, presented by Witt Mechanical

What is CTE?
CTE stands for career & technical education. CTE is an education pathway that provides students with the academic, technical, and real world knowledge, skills, and experience they need to be prepared for a variety of career options. CTE programs are personalized, hands-on, and let students explore different career fields.

What is Susie G. Gibson Science & Technology Center?
Susie G. Gibson Science & Technology Center is a career & technical school which serves students enrolled in each of the three county high schools. SGSTC is recognized as an extension of Liberty, Jefferson Forest, and Staunton River High Schools. Enrolled students attend SGSTC for half of the school day and are scheduled for other classes at their base high school the remainder of the day. Depending on program requirements, it may take one, two, three, or four years of attendance for completion. Many students graduate their program with their high school diploma and one or more state-recognized credentials.

The building was originally built in 1954 as a segregated school for African Americans and was named “Susie G. Gibson High School” in honor of an outstanding African American teacher who greatly impacted the Bedford community. The name was changed to Bedford Education Center (BEC) when county schools were fully integrated in the fall of 1970, and was changed again to Bedford Science & Technology Center (BSTC) some time after that. In 2020, the name was changed to Susie G. Gibson Science & Technology Center to honor Mrs. Gibson and the building’s history. Since opening in 1970, enrollment has grown from 222 students in eleven programs to approximately 300 students in fifteen programs.

What is the purpose of the CTE Expo?
Primarily, to introduce Bedford County Public Schools 7th graders to technical education opportunities and skills-based careers.

We also want this to be an educational field trip that:

• Aligns with the MajorClarity curriculum
• Gets youth interested in careers/industries they may have never known about
• Lights that first spark of interest toward thinking about their future education and career interests
• Lets students know about the many opportunities available to them in the Bedford area
• Shows kids who are not college-bound that there are other avenues of success

We also want this to be a connective experience that:

• Showcases and introduces SGSTC to the regional employer community, students, and parents
• Facilitates networking between employers and CTE students/teachers
• Deepens the CTE/workforce relationship, increasing recruitment, retention, and resources

How does the CTE Expo work?
We will pair SGSTC instructors, CTE base school teachers, and/or other educators with professionals whose businesses align with their programs. Professionals and instructors will connect prior to the event and develop a 5-10 minute hands-on demonstration or activity for a group of 20 students. During the event, a professional and a student/instructor representing their respective industry will be stationed together. They’ll walk the students through the activity/demonstration together. 

The student/instructor will share information about their program: “You’ll learn this, this, and this. The environment is like this, the class size is like this. You’ll get this certification and could use these skills for these jobs.” The professional will share information about their job: “The student/instructor mentioned this skill and this certification – I use both daily. My job consists of this, this, and this. My education is this. The pay range is between this and this. You’d probably like this job if you like this, this, and this.”

Special Thanks to Our Participants:

• Witt Mechanical
• ONE Forest School
• Paul Mitchell The School
• Bedford County Building Inspection
• Varney
• BWX Technologies
• Build Smart Institute
• Fables & Feathers Winery
• Bedford County 4-H
• Pok-E-Joe's BBQ
• Centra Physical Therapy
• Centra Nursing
• Centra Lab Testing
• Piedmont Eye Center
• Spring Oak Senior Living
• Bedford Fire Department
• Heritage Green Assisted Living
• Bedford Regional Water Authority
• Bedford Police Department
• Bedford County Fire & Rescue

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:

• Witt Mechanical
• Garrett & Garrett Law Firm
• ONE Forest School
• BWX Technologies
• FASTSIGNS of Lynchburg/Forest
• Smith Mountain Eagle
• Foster Fuels
• Cintas
• Centra
• WDBJ7
• Century 21 All-Service
• Signature Peace of Mind Advisors
• Banker's Insurance
• Pro Tech Fabrications
• WSET-ABC13
• Town of Bedford
• Pinnacle Financial Partners
• Rempfer Roofing
• Bedford Police Department
• Bedford County Economic Development Authority