BOUNTIFUL—Students at Viewmont High School are getting more than an education, they’re preparing for a career. The CTE (Career Technical Education) program has multiple options that give students a taste of what it might be like to work in a particular field and possibly land a job when they graduate.

“We do a CTE tour with ninth graders,” said Annette Godfrey, CTE coordinator at Viewmont. “They come to the school and they go through all the classes and the teachers give presentations. There are six different rotations where we tell them what we have to offer. It gives them a peek at what they could walk away with.”

It’s very visual, she said. “Teachers can really sell the programs.That's what boosts enrollment. We saw the effects of not having those ninth graders over during COVID. It really prepares them. Some of the junior highs have introductory courses to help them earn their certificate when they graduate.”

Courses include healthcare professions, EMT, CNA and business, Godfrey said. “Students can earn a Microsoft certificate and a certificate in Adobe/digital media.”

In Family and Consumer Science they can work at our childcare center where they learn how to run a daycare in their home or as a business. There’s a preschool side and an infant and toddler side.”

There’s also teaching as a profession, fashion apparel, graphic design and accounting and finance, said Godfrey. “We offer engineering, health science, welding and machining and auto mechanics and repair. The construction pathway is awesome. Students can work all summer with a construction company and learn as they go to work toward a career.”

Students can also take courses at another high school if the program isn’t offered at Viewmont, she said. “They have the opportunity to go to a magnet school like Farmington or Woods Cross to take classes. It’s becoming more popular to do. Teachers have to have a certain number enrolled so if they share schools it keeps their enrollment up to keep that teacher.”

Woods Cross High has a strong agricultural department, said Godfrey. “They have the FFA (Future Farmers of America) that students can be a part of. Here at Viewmont we have a great engineering teacher and a video/audio program.”

Counselors are great to help students so they can do it, she said. “Students can also use the IBC lab for online classes. Woods Cross has a teacher for ASL that remotes in online. It works out great.”

Most of the CTE classes are hands-on so students need to be in the classroom, Godfrey said. “Most of the kids are able to make it happen.”

Viewmont has a new offering in computer science, she said. “It usually takes a year or two to take off but she (teacher) has a full schedule. It’s awesome. It shows there is a need for our students and demonstrates their interest in it.”

Taking the classes in high school gives kids some exposure to careers, Godfrey said. “It’s free for them to figure it out instead of getting to college saying ‘oh I want to be an engineer’ and then finding out they don’t like it.”

Godfrey said they’re happy to meet with parents about the CTE programs. “Don’t be shy – ask us questions.”