Within the next year, Hancock County is expecting a new Career Center to be finished. Located at the Amplify Hancock Innovation Center, this building will be dedicated to preparing students for certain careers. This project has cost $1.5 million for the county.
Currently, Hancock’s county school district has several Career and Technical Education programs, CTE. They range from welding to criminal justice. Within the next year, not only will the career center be built, but students in the district will also have new CTE classes to choose from. A few careers will remain at their host schools, such as veterinary, which will continue at Eastern Hancock High School.
No CTE classes though will stay at Mount Vernon. Aviation and Criminal Justice are expected to be at the career center.
The three new programs that will be joining the district will be dentistry, auto mechanics and electrical construction. These programs will have no host school, but instead be in the career center.
Having no host school makes it easier for most students to take these classes. With certain jobs being in high demand, it makes sense that the Career Center will teach students about them and offer them chances to gain certifications to help them if they choose to pursue that career.
With the population of Fortville growing, people will be looking for more dentists to go to. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, the dental industry is expected to grow 4% in 10 years. Certain dental careers are experiencing strong demand. These include jobs such as pediatric dentists, oral surgeons and maxillofacial surgeons. This career field is competitive; however, as Fortville’s population grows, the demand for professionals in this field will also increase.
Another career that is expected to grow with the population is auto mechanics. America’s auto industry is strong. Each year it produces $1.5 trillion, from selling car parts to producing cars itself. Alliance for Automotive Innovation has reported that each job in the auto manufacturing industry creates another 10 jobs. With the increased demand for cars in the United States, there will be people who need their cars fixed. Auto mechanics will teach the students the basics of auto mechanics, and they will be expected to work on actual cars in the Career Center.
However, the new and current citizens of Hancock County will also need a place to put their cars, such as their houses.Electrical construction is a trade applicable in various environments. It does not have to be a private practice; it can also involve companies, such as those working with AI.
By 2030, the electrical industry is expected to be valued at $295 billion, according to Cascade Partners. In the year 2025, the U.S. construction industry needs 454,000 workers just to meet demand. Finding qualified help has not gotten easier. Cascade has reported that the workforce is thin. The right crew can be the difference between a landing job and one to walk away from.
Certain markets, though, are contributing to the electrical industry’s growth, such as data centers. schools and hospitals. These projects demand more experience and tight execution,but they offer long-term value.
CTE classes already provide students with real-life experiences in a classroom setting. With the addition of these new programs in the district, students will have even more opportunities to pursue career fields where they can achieve success.
