The Career and Technology Education Center, or CTE Center, was established in 2008 in Frisco, Texas. In its early years, it served 1,134 students, but today, it accommodates over 7,000 students from all the Frisco Independent School District (FISD) schools. The CTE center’s proximity to other FISD schools allows for equal opportunities to all students in the district.

The CTE Center offers students the chance to explore various career pathways through real-world learning experiences, helping them assess whether a specific career aligns with their interests and goals before they make plans for their future.

The center provides more than 30 programs, including health science, information technology, hospitality and tourism, agriculture, cybersecurity, and more. High school students interested in these programs must complete introductory and core classes at their home campuses before advancing to specialized classes at the CTE Center. Course offerings are determined based on surveys conducted with FISD middle and high school students.

FISD also works closely with industry and post-secondary partners such as Collin College and the University of North Texas to align their course offerings for their students. FISD and the CTE Center also consistently work with student feedback to introduce new courses to enhance the student experience at the campus. Additionally, the center expands its size to accommodate newer classes and student needs.

But what makes CTE different from other schools? Is it the culture? Environment, or the courses? Video Game programming teacher, Bryan Baker, thinks it is the freedom and flexibility that the CTE center offers that sets it apart from traditional school campuses. He praises CTE administrators for being supportive and accommodating learning environments that he considers to be industry standard. “I think the big deal here is [that] they get a chance to try different things… It costs them nothing to take my class. I mean, they spend their time. Yes, but it’s not [a] cost [to] them financially. Whereas if they discover that they [want] to try [in] college, they may spend a lot of money before they realize that this wasn’t for them.”

Moreover, it’s not just about industry skills; the soft skills that CTE students learn, such as being able to present themselves professionally, adhering to regulations, and communicating effectively, greatly help students like senior Haley Dean from Heritage High School, who want to pursue a career in healthcare. “CTE offers classes that allow [students] to actually experience [a] [career] pathway in a way that would be realistic.”, says Haley’s teacher, Mrs.Burch. She also considers the environment to be friendly and supportive towards students and their learning.

For most students, this opportunity is significant and unique compared to what they might experience in other education systems across the country or in different countries. Education and experience beyond traditional classrooms and learning are what set the CTE center apart from other schools. Many students consider that the financial freedom and opportunity to explore different career pathways provided by the CTE Center help them navigate their future and pursue a career that fuels their passion. “I’ve talked to people from different ISDs, different parts of the nation, and they don’t have the opportunities like we do. I don’t think I’ve met a single person who’s talked about their welding or agricultural classes at their school, but we have that here in Frisco,” says junior Saisaharsh Devireddy from Panther Creek High School.

The CTE Center at Frisco has taken education beyond what books can offer and works with students’ needs to provide industrial experience, and adapts to provide leverage for student activities. This is what makes this place a career and technology center, and this is what distinguishes the CTE Center from other schools. As the center continues to expand its programs and partnerships, it remains committed to providing students with the tools, experience, and support they need to pursue their goals.