2024 Career & Technical Education (CTE) Expo

For the ~700 seventh grade students in Bedford County Public Schools (BCPS), the first week of October was marked by a unique, future-focused field trip.

In seventh grade, students begin developing their career interests and academic plan for high school and
beyond. Organized by the Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC) in partnership with BCPS, the
Career & Technical Education (CTE) Expo aimed to help seventh graders make informed decisions about
their future by introducing them to career and skills-based learning opportunities that they otherwise
would not encounter.

And there are lots of opportunities available to students in Bedford and surrounding areas. BCPS alone
has one of the strongest CTE programs in the state, with over 60 countywide CTE classes available. In
addition, Susie G. Gibson Science and Technology Center (SGSTC) – BCPS’s CTE school that serves all
three county high schools – is home to 17 career pathways, which the CTE Expo particularly strove to
highlight.

CTE instructors and over 20 local professionals spoke with students and led them through hands-on
activities in order to give them an idea of what it might be like to work in their industry or take their class.
Students learned about careers in construction, HVAC, nursing, water, cosmetology, firefighting, lab
testing, law enforcement, automotive repair, engineering, manufacturing, food and beverage service,
ophthalmology, military, physical and occupational therapy, early childhood education, agriculture,
cybersecurity, building inspection, and more.

Sponsored by local small business Witt Mechanical and planned by various professionals who sit on the
BACC Workforce Committee, at the core of the CTE Expo are businesses who understand the importance of investing in students at any age. Some professionals were alumni of SGSTC, while others belong to businesses that regularly support county CTE programs or want to get involved.

Regardless of their reason for participating, every professional imparted this message to each student they met: that success can be found right here in the Bedford area, with or without a college degree.

To learn more about the 2024 CTE Expo and see all participants and sponsors, follow the link below to the event web page: 2024 CTE Expo, presented by Witt Mechanical