Career and Technical Education exposition Friday will showcase students’ work and aspirations

Bob Gibson **Lincoln County students will show off their career and technical education projects from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at Oregon Coast Community College in Newport.**

By Oregon Coast TODAY

Career and Technical Education is an ever-growing part of educational curriculums across the country, and Oregon is one of the leaders in CTE innovation and initiatives.

On Friday, Feb. 7, Oregon Coast Community College and the Lincoln County School District will showcase the opportunities available through their own Career and Technical Education programs.

The 2025 iteration of the CTE Expo takes place next to the site of the planned Oregon Coast Advanced Technology & Trades facility, which will be constructed on the college’s Newport campus after having been approved by voters in a May 2024 election.

A variety of experiences will be available at the expo, including student demonstrations, presentations about the various programs, samples from LCSD culinary programs and information about the career and technical education opportunities in Lincoln County.

Students from throughout the district will share their career tech programs, including welding, culinary arts, natural resources and forestry, drafting, manufacturing, wood working, engineering, visual design and communication, digital design and media and early childhood education.

Featured college programs will include Early Childhood Education, Welding, the Pre-Apprenticeship for the Construction Trades Program, Nursing, Nursing Assistant, Medical Assistant, Aquarium Science, Business, Computer Science and more. The college will also have on-the-spot admissions for interested students.

“These programs are working to make our future workforce,” said Becky York, the college’s Career Connected Learning Systems navigator. “We, as educational institutions, want to make sure that what is being created and taught is what our local industries need. We are striving to provide a qualified and educated workforce.”

Local industry partners from the community will also be present, and may include the U.S. Forest Service, Oregon Coast Aquarium, Samaritan Health Services, WorkSource Oregon, Central Lincoln PUD, Lincoln City Parks and Recreation, Lincoln County Public Health, Georgia-Pacific, Chinook Winds Casino Resort and local trade unions.

The Expo runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Newport campus, 400 S.E. College Way.