CHARLESTON W.Va. (WVDN) — The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) recognizes Career Technical Education (CTE) Month in the Mountain State throughout February and will highlight the important role CTE plays in preparing students for high-demand careers, strengthening West Virginia’s workforce and supporting the state’s economy.
Established by the Association for Career and Technical Education in the 1980s, CTE Month highlights the significance of the country’s skilled workers and the growing need for these positions.
WVDE’s CTE programs are offered in elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as in 21 CTE centers and seven multi-county technical centers statewide. West Virginia offers 65 unique CTE programs of study in 16 industry career clusters including health sciences, advanced manufacturing, information technology, construction, agriculture, hospitality and more.
Expanding CTE to elementary and middle school is among the WVDE’s key initiatives because it helps students begin building essential skills for their future careers. This exposure to CTE at an early age allows students to engage in hands-on learning, develop problem solving skills and explore career interests as part of their learning process.
Another focus is the Classroom 2 Career Apprenticeship initiative, which provides high school CTE students with work-based learning opportunities. Through internships, apprenticeships and clinical experiences, students apply the skills they learn in their CTE classroom on the job. These opportunities allow students to gain hands-on experience in the workplace while building a workforce pipeline for the local economy.
CTE programs are making a measurable impact for students and the state economy. During the 2024-2025 school year:
- More than 91,000 students in Grades 6-12 completed a CTE course.
- Approximately 11,530 students participated in work-based learning opportunities.
- There were 1,460 community and business partners that supported student learning across the state.
- Students completed more than 1 million hours of work-based learning experience.
- Students earned over $5 million in wages.
“Career Technical Education is producing real results for West Virginia’s economy,” said State Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt. “Our students are gaining workplace experience, earning wages and developing skills that employers look for, before they even graduate high school.”
To further celebrate CTE Month, the WVDE will host CTE Day at the Legislature on February 20, 2026, at the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston. During the event, CTE students from across the state will showcase their talents and hands-on projects for state leaders, legislators and the public.
A CTE Month Digital Toolkit is also available for schools, featuring ready-to-use resources to promote programs and showcase the impact of CTE across the Mountain State.
To learn more, visit the Career Technical Education website.
