February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month — a nationwide celebration of the programs, educators, partners, and students who make high-quality career learning possible across Oregon.

CTE connects learning to real opportunities. From healthcare to manufacturing, agriculture to computer science, and so much more, students are building academic knowledge, technical skills, and confidence for their futures. Every day, Oregon educators create hands-on experiences that help learners discover passions, explore careers, and prepare for high-wage, high-demand pathways.

Throughout the month, we invite you to celebrate, elevate, and amplify the incredible work happening in your schools and communities.

Have a student success story, event, or classroom highlight to share? Submit it through our #ThisIsCTE form so we can spotlight it with partners across the state.

Thank you for all you do to support Oregon learners — this month and every month.

Class of 2025 Sets Oregon High School Graduation Rate Record

ODE’s newly released graduation data shows that Oregon’s Class of 2025 achieved the highest on-time high school graduation rate in state history — 83.0% — marking meaningful progress for learners statewide.

Among all student groups, those who completed at least two credits in an approved Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program of Study graduated at an exceptional 97.8% rate, far outpacing the statewide average and highlighting the powerful role CTE plays in keeping students engaged and on track to graduate.

This success underscores how hands-on, career-connected learning helps students not only find purpose but also build the skills and confidence needed to finish strong. Let’s celebrate Oregon’s 2025 graduates and continue expanding high-quality CTE opportunities that support every learner’s path to success! 

Read the press release here: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/ORED/bulletins/4069024

Students Earn OSHA 10 Certification in Mr. Gernertʼs Apprenticeship (APR) Course

This fall, students in Mr. Gernertʼs APR course at Neah-Kah-Nie High School reached an important milestone by completing their OSHA 10 certification—a nationally recognized safety credential that reflects both commitment and professionalism. This achievement is no small task. Students dedicated between 15 and 20 hours to rigorous training focused on workplace safety, hazard awareness, and best practices across multiple industries.

Earning an OSHA 10 certification gives students a strong advantage as they enter the workforce. Individuals who complete this training don't just learn how to protect themselves; they learn how to contribute to safer, more productive work environments for everyone around them. Employers value workers who take safety seriously, and this proactive mindset often leads to higher job satisfaction, increased productivity, and greater opportunities for advancement.

For these students, OSHA 10 represents more than a certificate—it is a signal that they are prepared, employable, and ready to take on real-world responsibilities. If you see one of these students in the hallway, be sure to congratulate them and ask where they plan to work next summer. They've put in the work, earned the credential, and are ready to go!

Tillamook Works continues to grow as a key partnership connecting students, schools, and local employers across Tillamook County. Through this work, students gain meaningful, paid summer internship experiences that build employable skills, expose them to local career pathways, and strengthen the future workforce of our community.

Next week, an open call for Summer Internship Host Employers will be shared countywide. This outreach invites local businesses, organizations, and industry partners to participate as Host Employers by providing real-world learning opportunities for students during the summer months. Internships through Tillamook Works are designed to support employers while helping students develop essential skills such as communication, problem-solving, professionalism, and workplace readiness—skills consistently identified by industry partners as critical. Host Employers play a vital role in this work by mentoring students, offering hands-on experiences, and helping young people see viable career pathways right here in Tillamook County. These partnerships not only benefit students but also support local businesses by building early talent pipelines and strengthening connections between education and industry.

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a Summer Internship Host Employer for Tillamook Works, please contact: Lauren Yokum (laurenyokum@tillamookbaycc.edu; 503-842-8222 ext. 1090)

We encourage community partners to consider joining this important effort to invest in students and the future workforce of Tillamook County. Together, we can create meaningful opportunities that support students today and build a stronger local workforce for tomorrow.

Wanted: Your CTE Newsletters!

Does your consortium, college, or district publish a monthly or quarterly CTE newsletter? We would love to see the great work happening in your programs.

Sharing your updates helps us celebrate and amplify CTE across Oregon — and your story could be featured in an upcoming issue of the CTE Update.

Please send your newsletter to: ode.ctecommunications@ode.oregon.gov

Thank you for helping us highlight the incredible impact of CTE statewide!

CTE Month® and NASA HUNCH 2025-26 Student Video Challenge

ACTE and NASA HUNCH are proud to launch the eighth annual Student Video Challenge, inviting learners nationwide to explore the power of career and technical education (CTE) through the lens of space exploration and project-based learning. This challenge offers students the chance to showcase how CTE programs prepare them for success in high-demand careers — on Earth and beyond.

As we approach ACTE’s 100-year anniversary in 2026, this milestone year’s challenge carries even greater significance. For a century, ACTE has championed the role of CTE in shaping the workforce and inspiring careers, and now, in partnership with NASA HUNCH, we look to the next 100 years of innovation, discovery and possibility.

2025–26 Video Theme: Gateway to the Cosmos — NASA’s Lunar Outpost NASA’s Gateway will serve as a vital steppingstone for humankind’s return to the Moon and exploration of deep space. In what ways will Gateway missions help us, and what new sciences, technologies, or resources could they offer to benefit humankind? This year, students are challenged to imagine those answers while also highlighting the CTE courses and careers that make these missions possible. Together, let’s celebrate a century of CTE excellence while inspiring the next generation of innovators who will lead us into the cosmos.

The contest is open to students of all ages, including elementary, middle school, high school and postsecondary students in any school or who is homeschooled. Students may enter as individuals or as a team. However, students can submit only one video per year.

Interested in Sponsoring the Video Challenge? Please contact Julia Kendrick at ACTE or Loy W. Trevino at NASA HUNCH if you are interested in sponsoring the video challenge via scholarships to winning students.

Link:  https://www.acteonline.org/video-challenge/