EMMIE BOESE
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — About 80 Reno County high school students participated in Hutchinson Career and Technical Education Academy's (HC&TEA) fourth annual signing day ceremony Tuesday morning. The ceremony is designed to honor students who are entering a technical field after high school.
"Every year it just gets a little bit more exciting to see just the smiles on the young peoples faces but also looking out there at the crowd at their parents and their educators who are excited to support them in their future careers," Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce CEO Debra Teufel said. "That's really why we do it, to really celebrate those kids for the good decisions that they are making that we know will pay off. We know it's going to lead to a career and we hope that career is right here in our community."
Each student signed a commerative letter of intent and put on a Hutchinson Community College hat for the ceremony. Some of the trades students announced their intent to pursue include Automotive Technology, Construction Technology, Welding Technology and Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA).
Teufel said each student who is concurrent with an HC&TEA program is earning credit with HCC as well.
"By the time they graduate high school they may have a certificate or a credential in one of the technical fields, but at the same time have earned some Hutch Community College credit along the way and then they can choose to either take that credit and continue to get their associates in one of those fields or they can choose to go right into the workplace," said Teufel.
After the ceremony, an employer fair that featured nine local employers took place. Teufel said if there are students out there that didn't get to participate in signing day but are interested in any of the career fields featured at the fair, to contact the Chamber.
"Our Greater Hutch economic development office is located at the chamber and we want to make sure that kids are getting into those internships with local companies," Teufel said. "There's also a career advisor at Hutch Community College as well as your school counselors that can advise you on careers. There's a specific program at Hutch Community College that lines up apprenticeship dollars so that students can get some reimbursement while they are attending school and the employers are paying some of their tuition as well as earing a good wage while they are going to school."
HC&TEA is located at 800 15th Circle in Hutchinson. More information about the academy is available at usd308.com.
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