A great place to start planning a career
All schools within the Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District offer a variety of experiences that help students explore careers and prepare for future education and the world of work.
CTE NEWS
Chef Kaidence! Petoskey High School senior headed to culinary school to pursue cooking passion
Kaidence McNamara discovered a culinary community at Petoskey High School. The 18-year-old, soon-to-be graduate has dug deep into the Culinary Arts program and found the ingredients to propel her toward a future in professional cooking. “It’s so great to be in this...
Summer camp registration opens Monday, April 15, at 9 a.m.!
Online registration for Char-Em ISD's five summer camps opens at 9 a.m. on Monday, April 15, 2024, at this link. This year's camps include options for students in grades kindergarten through 11th, including a new K-2 STEM class during Career Academy for Kids!...
CTE in the Spotlight: Derek Burnett and Van Dam Custom Boats
In the spring of 2017, Derek Burnett was preparing to graduate from Petoskey High School and wasn’t entirely sure about his future plans. He had always enjoyed woodworking and working with his hands, and had success in the building trades program at the high school...
Career Tech to Careers signing event: Collin Lang, Harbor Springs graduate, and Declan McNulty, Petoskey graduate, at Wentworth Builders
Career Tech to Careers signing event: Collin Lang, Harbor Springs graduate, and Declan McNulty, Petoskey graduate, at Wentworth Builders Two recent local graduates are adding to the construction workforce in Northern Michigan and to Wentworth Builder’s growing...
Career Tech to Careers signing event: Ryan Meier, Harbor Springs High School graduate, with Bay Water Builders
Standing in the living room of a 6,400-square-foot home overlooking Lake Michigan on a secluded stretch of shoreline north of Harbor Springs, Ryan Meier took in all the stunning details that he had a hand in shaping. “I really love this job. I get to build cool...
Career Tech to Careers signing event: Austin Deater, Central Lake High School graduate, at Bellaire Auto
A classroom activity designed to help students find careers led Austin Deater to Bellaire Auto Repair upon graduation from Central Lake High School in early June 2025. As an assignment, Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates Specialist Josh Todd had students enrolled in...
East Jordan High School welding students shine at Ferris State University’s annual Secondary Welding Competition
EAST JORDAN - Welding students from East Jordan High School proudly represented their school and Char-Em ISD Career and Technical Education programming on May 9, 2025, at Ferris State University’s prestigious 21st Annual Secondary Welding Competition. This year’s...
What is Career & Technical Education?
Career & Technical Education is an essential component of the total educational system and is critical to our workforce development. This education for the work place has been called many things over the years – vocational education, technical education, career education, occupational education and workforce training. We call it Career and Technical Education or CTE.
Career and Technical Education is provided in a variety of settings and levels including awareness of different jobs at the elementary level, middle school career exploration, secondary CTE programs, post secondary certificates and degrees, and whole community – students and families, teachers and schools, and businesses. It includes academics, work experience, occupational training, career counseling and joint activities between business and education.
CTE Program Spotlight
Aviation Science and Technology
Construction Technology
Public Safety
CTE Interactive Magazine
Start Working On Your Future Career Now!
Think about all the people you know who graduated from high school in the past few years. Very likely here’s what you’ll see:
- Some young grads may have earned a college degree and are now in satisfying careers.
- Others may have changed college majors two or three times. Likely they’re still in school trying to discover a good career “fit.”
- Others may have dropped out after a semester or two, disenchanted because they have no clear vision of the future.
- Still others may take other approaches leading to satisfying careers.
As you’ve watched the lives of other students unfold, likely you already know there are many different ways to prepare for a wide variety of satisfying careers. Today you can begin early in school.
Char-Em ISD provides opportunities for career exploration K-12. Throughout this website, you’ll see how we are reaching kids of all ages to encourage them to start thinking about and exploring careers!
