For the second year, the Whiteside Area Career Center (WACC) offered a CTE interest survey to all 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students, which received more than 1,600 responses. The survey asked about the training programs students are most interested in, how likely they are to take a WACC course, and what factors influence their decisions. The survey also gathered feedback on the skills students hope to gain and the importance of certifications or dual credit. The survey was intentionally administered in October to encourage students to begin considering their course selections and career pathways for the upcoming year, and the results demonstrate how much students value hands-on learning.
Of the skills listed in the survey, hands-on training and internship experience were the top picks by a wide margin, with 850 students saying it’s the most important thing they hope to gain from a CTE course. These results show that today’s students want to learn by doing, not just by reading or watching. The high interest in programs such as Criminal Justice, Health Occupations, Culinary Arts, and Welding & Manufacturing underscores that the programs offered at WACC are valuable and in high demand. The data show that students are eager for practical experiences that connect directly to real careers in these fields.
As the second year of capturing this feedback region-wide, WACC leaders are beginning to see clear trends that will help guide decisions about future programming, with a clear emphasis on strengthening existing hands-on opportunities and exploring entirely new programs that meet both student demand and regional workforce needs.