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What is the Van Buren Technology Center?
The Van Buren ISD Technology Center is an extension of the area high schools, offering students education training in a variety of career and technical education (CTE) programs. Approximately 1,000 11th and 12th grade students from in and around Van Buren County attend the Technology Center each day. Students attend their home school for a half day, and the Technology Center for the other half day. The Technology Center offers classes both morning and afternoon.High school credit for Technology Center programs is issued by the student's local high school. For students enrolled in a college credit programs, students receive both high school credit from their school district, and college credit from the participating area community college.
What Programs Offer State/National Certification or other Licensure?
In addition to the programs that offer college credit, several Tech Center programs offer state or national certification. (Some programs offer both college credit and certification!) These programs include:
What Other Opportunities Does the Tech Center Offer?
In addition to college credit and state/national certifications, Tech Center students have the opportunity to participate in interactive distance learning experiences through VBTC's Distance Learning Lab, job shadow and co-op work experiences, clinical experiences, apprenticeships, program/career related field trips, and state/national competitions through various student organizations.What Are National Career Clusters?
The National Career Clusters are broad groupings of careers that share similar characteristics, and whose employment requirements call for many common interests, strengths, and competencies. These groupings encompass the entire spectrum of career options. There are 16 National Career Clusters. The Technology Center offers CTE programming in 14 of the 16 clusters:
The production, processing, marketing, distribution, financing, and development of agricultural commodities and resources including food, fiber, wood products, natural resources, horticulture, and other plant and animal products/resources.
Careers in designing, planning, managing, building and maintaining the built environment.
Designing, producing, exhibiting, performing, writing, and publishing multimedia content including visual and performing arts and design, journalism, and entertainment services.
Planning, managing and providing education and training services, and related learning support services.
Planning, services for financial and investment planning, banking, insurance, and business financial management.
Planning, managing, and providing therapeutic services, diagnostic services, health informatics, support services, and biotechnology research and development.
Hospitality & Tourism encompasses the management, marketing and operations of restaurants and other food services, lodging, attractions, recreation events and travel related services.
Preparing individuals for employment in career pathways that relate to families and human needs such as counseling and mental health services, family and community services, personal care, and consumer services.
Building linkages in IT occupations for entry level, technical, and professional careers related to the design, development, support and management of hardware, software, multimedia and systems integration services.
Planning, managing, and providing legal, public safety, protective services and homeland security, including professional and technical support services.
Planning, managing and performing the processing of materials into intermediate or final products and related professional and technical support activities such as production planning and control, maintenance and manufacturing/process engineering.
Planning, managing, and performing marketing activities to reach organizational objectives.
Planning, managing, and providing scientific research and professional and technical services (e.g., physical science, social science, engineering) including laboratory and testing services, and research and development services.
Planning, management, and movement of people, materials, and goods by road, pipeline, air, rail and water, and related professional and technical support services: transportation infrastructure planning and management, logistics services, mobile equipment and facility maintenance.
Click here to see a listing of our programs grouped by Career Cluster.
