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
Career Tech to Careers Signing Event: Brendan Swiss, Petoskey High School graduate, at Swiss Building and Remodeling
When Brendan Swiss graduated from Petoskey High School in June 2025, he got hired by a familiar business to begin his career in construction - Josh Swiss Rebuilding and Remodeling, owned by his dad. It was certainly not the first time he had worked for his dad....
Career Tech to Careers Signing Event: Ella Seelye, Boyne City High School graduate, at Boyne Falls Middle School / Char-Em ISD Classroom
Ella Seelye is open about the struggles she had in high school and her uncertainty about a future career path. But one class - and one teacher - changed everything, and set her on a path to become a teacher herself. “I had a really hard time during my freshman...
Career Tech to Careers Signing Event: Megan Pickering, Boyne Falls High School graduate, at Boyne City Elementary School
When Megan Pickering was a kindergartner, her future career was already calling out to her. “One day we had a sub, and I told her that I was going to take charge of the class. I told her I was going to read a story to all the kids in the class, and I did,”...
Char-Em ISD Career and Technical Education millage request on the May 5, 2026, ballot
23 programs operating in 50+ classrooms, dozens of K-12 initiatives funded by millage On May 5, 2026, voters throughout Charlevoix, Emmet and northern Antrim counties will be asked to consider Char-Em ISD’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) millage proposal....
Career Tech to Careers Signing Event: Sophia Henry, Petoskey High School graduate, at North Central Michigan College’s Early Learning Center
Sophia Henry realized something about herself, in an indirect kind of way, that led her to a career path she loves. Growing up, she always enjoyed cooking, especially for her three younger brothers, because it made them happy. When she decided culinary was not her...
Career Tech to Careers Signing Event: Emma Roberts, Pellston High School graduate, at Bear Cub Child Care Center
Emma Roberts learned early on about some powerful insights when working with little children that transcend reading, writing, and math. “Something that has stuck with me through the years has been understanding how important it is to support children's ideas,...
Career Tech to Careers Signing Event: Brendan Swiss, Petoskey High School graduate, at Swiss Building and Remodeling
When Brendan Swiss graduated from Petoskey High School in June 2025, he got hired by a familiar business to begin his career in construction - Josh Swiss Rebuilding and Remodeling, owned by his dad. It was certainly not the first time he had worked for his dad....
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
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!
