Building employability skills in high school empowers students to succeed in the workforce.
CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE) AT KHS
Career Focus Planning is an educational approach which helps students focus their education toward career development while allowing flexibility.
By engaging in career planning, students will:
- – have assistance from parents/guardian(s) and adults as careers and course selections are discussed
- – develop the skills needed in the future.
- – have a road map for the future.
- – see relevance in your selected courses making high school more meaningful.
- – be able to better compete in a global economy
CAREER & CONNECTED LEARNING (CCL)
CCL at KHS provides students with meaningful opportunities to explore careers, build employability skills, and connect with local employers. Through career exploration activities such as Xello, job shadows, job applications, resume building, interview practice, and other workplace readiness skills, students gain confidence in preparing for their future.
CAREER EXPLORATION
Career Exploration begins in middle school and continues through 9th and 10th grade. Students are offered a variety of opportunities and resources to help them discover careers that match their interests. At KHS, we also recognize the value of employability skills—especially soft skills—and have made them a key focus for our all of our students.
- Opportunities include:
- – Xello (Online Career Information System)
– Employability Skills (Applications, Resumes, Interview Prep)
– Job Shadows
– Guest Speakers
– Local Industry Tours
– Volunteering Opportunities
WORK-BASED LEARNING (WBL)
WBL experiences—including projects, internships, and employment with community partners—offer hands-on learning that connects classroom instruction to real-world career pathways.
- WBL REQUIREMENTS
- – Maintain good attendance and be in good academic standing
- – Talk with your guidance counselor, Tim Carter or Lindsay Figge
- – Meet with the Work-Based Learning Coordinator, Jessica Koehler
- – Complete a Work-Based Learning application
AGRICULTURE FAST FACTS
- – Farm Credit Services presented the first very popular FFA chapter at KHS with a $15,000 grant in Fall 2024.
- – FFA members will show animals at the county and state fair level and go on trips around the State of Iowa and the United States to represent Keokuk.
- – The Agriculture program was originally proposed based on the results of an interest survey of students, and the results showed a high interest in agriculture.
- – The FFA program was introduced based on the scholarship opportunities and the hands-on training that students would get.
- – Students will experience an overview of the fields of agricultural science and natural resources so that students may continue through a sequence of courses through high school.
AUTOMOTIVE FAST FACTS
- – The program starts out for students eager to gain foundational knowledge and skills in automotive maintenance and repair.
- – The program continues focusing on hands-on lab work, brake systems, and front-end maintenance.
- – As students progress, students will enhance their skills in automotive electrical systems and diagnostic techniques.
- – Advanced students will focus on engine diagnostic mechanization, front-end alignments, and sophisticated diagnostic techniques.
BUILDING TRADES FAST FACTS
- – The course elf-evaluation, goal setting, employability skills, specific career information the craft trades, real-world-of-work-descriptions of workers on the job.
- – Safety, basic hand and power tools, fasteners and adhesives, joints and wood types, shop math and measurement. Students will be given hands-on and classroom experiences.
- – Students will build upon the knowledge base from year one, adding print reading, wall construction, deck construction, and building small structures (kids playhouse), picnic tables, and benches.
- – Program offers an advanced course that further enhances students’ skills in the construction trades.
- – Emphasis will be placed on precision, advanced tool usage, and adherence to safety standards.
BUISINESS FAST FACTS
- – 21st Century Employability Skills as stated by the State of Iowa will be the focus.
- – Empowering students with knowledge and application of basic financial principles so that they can make sound financial decisions for life.
- – Students will receive a background and foundation of basic business accounting procedures.
- – Students will continue to focus on the accounting cycle for a merchandise business, recording inventory, and processing business payroll.
- – Enhance students’ financial literacy skills.
- – Enable students to develop informed money-management strategies.
- – Stimulate interest in financial management.
- – Inspire students to achieve financial well-being.
- – Foster an understanding and appreciation of ethical money management.
COMPUTER SCIENCE
This pathway is designed to prepare students for careers in computer science, programming, Al, and related technology fields.
- – Students will develop foundational knowledge in programming, problem-solving, artificial intelligence, and creative computing applications.
- – The pathway equips students for both immediate entry-level opportunities and further education in computer science.
FAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCE
The program draws on aspects of the social and biological sciences of which Family and Consumer Sciences is a component.
- – The program shows the responsibility in parenthood as well as guides for care during the prenatal period, infancy, and early childhood.
- – The program also includes culinary courses.
- – A thorough study of children’s physical, intellectual, emotional and social development will be discussed in various stages.
- – With an understanding of growth and guidance of children, the student should be able to prepare for future parental roles, employment in the child care industry and/or continue with education in the area of Child Development.
- – Classes take a more in-depth look at the social and biological science as the child moves through adolescence.
HEALTH OCCUPATION FAST FACTS
- – Health careers are currently the most rapidly expanding careers in our area and offer many opportunities.
- – This program is to help students decide whether the healthcare field is right for them and can also help students choose the right health career to meet their specific skills and interests.
- – There are a wide variety of health-related careers, such as nursing, dental care, respiratory care and animal care.
- – Students will learn basic first aid principles and be able to provide basic first aid as needed.
- – Students will also learn how to perform basic life support (CPR) and how to use an AED when available.
- – Students will also learn basic infection control practices, legalities of providing care to a victim, and the importance of maintaining confidentiality and providing accurate care.
- – Students who complete the Basic Life Support class will be certified through the American Heart Association for basic life support, AED, and basic first aid.
WELDING FAST FACTS
- – Welding courses provide experience in various processes used to join and cut metals.
- – Students will be introduced to the properties, uses, and applications of various metals.
- – Welding and Metal Fabrication builds on foundational welding skills and introduces students to more advanced techniques and applications.
- – Advanced courses are designed to give students advanced experiences in gas, electric arc, MIG and TIG welding of metals in various positions and applications.
- – Industrial Tech Club is for students interested in welding and the building trades and includes regional competitions.
IOWA CTE
Iowa Quality CTE recognizes the high skill and technical requirements of current and future careers and fulfills the following: career and academic planning; programs of study; career and technical student organizations; work-based learning; equity and special populations; and regional planning partnerships and regional centers.
CTE in Iowa includes educational programs offering a sequence of courses that prepare individuals for employment in current or emerging occupations. In high school, CTE programs are organized within six broad service areas per the state of Iowa. The service areas are:
- – Agriculture (food and natural resources)
- – Arts, Communications, and Information Systems
- – Applied Sciences, Technology, Engineering, and Manufacturing, including Transportation, Distribution, Logistics, Architecture, and Construction
- – Health Sciences
- – Human Services
- – Business, Finance, Marketing, and Management