Woodland High School students raise funds for SkillsUSA team

WOODLAND — Woodland students taking Construction Trades at the high school built a student store for Yale Elementary School as well as a shed that will be sold to raise funds for the SkillsUSA club. Students learn plumbing, how to wire electrical systems, frame buildings, and a variety of woodworking and tool skills.

Once students become familiar with the basics of tool operation and construction, they move on to more complicated tasks which empowers them to work on projects requested throughout the district.

CTE classes offer students a way to explore skills they may have started learning at home. Woodland offers a wide variety of CTE courses so students have the opportunity to learn life skills while exploring potential career paths in physical trades including metalwork, woodwork, culinary arts, agriculture, auto mechanics, Computer-Aided Drafting and much more.

Assistant Superintendent Asha Riley oversees CTE for the school district and points to the nationwide need for trade-based professionals as just one of the many great reasons for students to explore CTE classes. “Many professionals in trade careers such as automotive repair, welding, plumbing, electricians, and many more are retiring with few new entrants in the fields,” she explained. “The country needs younger people to start in these fields which offer lucrative lifelong careers.”

In addition to helping students potentially find their careers, students not interested in pursuing careers in CTE fields can greatly benefit from the courses, too. “CTE classes provide students skills they’ll be able to use throughout their lives even if they don’t pursue a career in the field,” said Riley. “Whether it’s cooking meals, repairing your car, wiring a new outlet in your house, or growing your own vegetables, every student can benefit from taking CTE classes.”