CRTC Recruitment Drive Begins

Concord High School sophomore Maggie Hall told an assembly of CHS students on Thursday that the Concord Regional Technical Center’s Health Science program is giving her an important head start on her ambitions to someday become an OB/GYN surgeon. Already she is planning to job shadow a practicing surgeon during routine appointments and into the operating room, and over her two years in the program she will earn up to 11 college credits and her nursing assistant license (LNA).

“This program is laying a strong foundation that is going to help me to realize my future college and career goals,” the first-year Health Science student said. “It’s a great opportunity to get more out of high school!”

Embedded in the Concord High School, the CRTC is a regional career and technical education center with a 40-year history of helping high school students to explore their career interests and ambitions, offering them opportunities to earn industry recognized certifications and college credits, gain on-the-job experience through work-based learning, and engage with industry professionals to talk about career pathways and begin to build a professional network.

Thursday’s assembly helped to launch the CRTC’s 2024 recruitment drive, where students can learn more about what CRTC offers and how to apply for a spot next school year in one of its 12 career pathway programs. Interested regional students should plan to attend upcoming CRTC assemblies in their home high schools.

“Each CRTC program offers students a structured pathway that is designed to help them to achieve their college and career ambitions and goals,” said CRTC Program Coordinator Kate Amrol. “A CRTC career-focused education allows students to jumpstart their college and career plans by taking a more targeted and strategic approach to their high school education.”

The CRTC routinely serves about 750 10th-, 11th- and 12-grade students from nine regional school districts that include parts of 30 towns in the Concord region. Students typically sign up for fall classes in the late winter of their sophomore year. CRTC programs are available at no cost for tuition or transportation to all public, private, home schooled and public charter school students within this region.

Here’s how interested students and their families can learn more about what the CRTC offers:

• Visit our website: www.thecrtc.org
• Attend our Open House event on January 31
• Fill out our Student Interest Form
• eMail questions to us at: CRTC@sau8.org

Students also can attend Program Preview Days on February 7 and 8, or sign up for 90-minute Classroom Visits (where they can audit a program of interest) on February 14, 15 and 16. Students should see their school counselor to sign up for these opportunities.

Applications are due by February 23. Application links can be found on our website, or by filling out a Student Interest Form.