The director of career & technical education, Denise Ayres, sees a lot of opportunities for students in the automotive program at Temple High School. And it’s not just As and Bs on report cards – she wants to help them become workforce ready and to find jobs. Ayres understands that education doesn’t happen in a silo. When businesses and educators come together, magic happens. The act of learning becomes relevant and meaningful for students.
Johnson Brothers Ford parts and service director, Scott Mathson, agrees. “There needs to be a partnership between businesses and education to develop these young men and women, for them and for the [automotive] industry,” Mathson said. “We need to invest in their growth,” he continued. “We can’t just expect them to show up.” Mathson is spearheading the collaboration with Temple ISD where students will have work-based learning experiences on-site at Johnson Brothers Ford two times a week beginning in the fall of 2018. He has spent time preparing for the on-site student learning experiences by reviewing program curriculum and outlining targeted competencies alongside District leadership.
Dr. Bobby Ott, Temple Independent School District superintendent said, “Temple ISD could not be happier with our newly announced local partnership with Johnson Brothers Ford. As a reminder, they supported our staff with a vehicle for perfect attendance; and now with this partnership, they are supporting our students in their career paths. I want to personally thank Harry Adams for his investment into TISD and our community. He has a genuine commitment to our students and his efforts are beyond personal.”
This partnership is “a win-win for us and the District,” said Harry Adams, Johnson Brothers Ford owner and president. “It comes at a time that business is expanding and growing for us and it is exciting to be a part of this training process and to have the students join our workforce,” he continued. “We are always pleased to work with the District.”
The automotive program at Temple High School is just one of nearly 75 courses across 15 different career clusters. These are middle and high school classes which target training for high-skill, high-wage, high-demand jobs. “Students in CTE programs are more connected to their interest and connect those interests to a career,” said Ayres. “With partnerships like this one with Johnson Brothers Ford, students are not only positioned to get jobs right out of high school but they also gain the skills needed to be successful in college.”
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About Career & Technical Education at Temple Independent School District The Temple Independent School District (TISD) Career & Technical Education (CTE) Department educates today’s students to become leaders in tomorrow’s workforce using integrated instruction and curricula, current technologies, workforce aligned equipment, and, most importantly, business partnerships to create learning environments that empower students to enter the constantly changing workforce. TISD CTE courses integrate academic rigor, technical, and employability skills thus preparing students for the highly technological and competitive workplace of the 21st century.