Duval Schools’ career showcase will spotlight 67 programs

Duval Schools’ career and technical education programs will converge Saturday morning at the University of North Florida for a free event featuring all 67 of the district’s CTE academies and programs.

Animals from agriscience programs, technology like a 3D simulated dissection table from medical programs, and food samples from culinary programs will all be part of the showcase. 

Students and families will be able to talk with teachers and current students and explore the district’s CTE programs, which span a wide range of topics, including:

• Aerospace technology and applied robotics.
• Culinary arts.
• Landscaping.
• Welding.
• Barbering and cosmetology.
• Digital design, and many more.

These workforce-development programs help students master skills and earn industry certifications. Spread across Duval Schools’ high schools, the career academies are broadly aligned with the state’s Workforce Education Initiative career clusters. 

In a recent interview with Jacksonville Today news partner News4Jax, Duval Schools CTE director Jill Fierle said the district’s medical programs in particular have expanded in recent years.

While still in high school, students in these programs can train for entry-level jobs like certified nursing assistants, EKG technicians and medical office assistants. Some graduates then work toward more advanced education and training after high school.

Fierle said it’s a “big misconception” that students in CTE programs don’t continue on to college. 

“That’s very far from the truth,” she said. 

Duval Schools works with local businesses and postsecondary institutions to create CTE programs that help students learn the needed skills — and figure out if they like the work.

“Students really get to see, ‘If this is my option or my career path, this is what I need to do to get there. This is how I’m going to be successful. And these are the people in the community who can help me,’” Fierle said.

Working priority

Duval Schools has emphasized its CTE offerings in recent months — at the School Board’s monthly meetings, current Chair Charlotte Joyce has featured numerous programs since she became chair nearly a year ago. And the district is marketing this year’s event as the “second annual,” following the success of a similar event in November 2024.

The district is also investing heavily in CTE infrastructure. Mandarin High School, for example, in August opened a new wing of its building that includes state-of-the-art labs and classrooms for its medical and culinary CTE programs.

Earlier this year, the state announced a series of awards totaling $24 million for workforce development programs around Florida — $7.4 million of which went to Duval Schools for its automotive and cybersecurity programs.

In this year’s state budget, Gov. Ron DeSantis touted allocations for workforce education programs totaling $766 million and said the state has invested $10 billion in such programs since he took office in 2019. 

The state’s funding model for public schools incentivizes districts to offer accelerated programs, including classes that lead to industry certifications like those that are part of the CTE programs.

During the state Legislature’s budget session, which began in the spring and stretched into the summer this year, lawmakers proposed a change to the incentives that Duval Schools estimated would have cost the district as much as $8 million. Community pushback — in Jacksonville and around the state —  ultimately resulted in a budget that did not cut the incentives as originally proposed.

Exploring career options

Duval Schools’ CTE programs include courses at elementary and middle schools because students benefit from the chance to “explore early” — which creates more opportunities for students, Fierle said in her interview with News4Jax. 

“In Duval, we really try to start preparing in elementary school,” Fierle said. “There’s no time too early.”

Middle school programs especially include “IT heavy” career-exploration courses because so many modern careers require IT skills, she said. The district’s high schools feature more structured career academies that help students to follow a four-year track that culminates in industry certifications or other credentials. 

All students are welcome to attend the event. Though the high school academies are designed as paths to follow starting in ninth grade, it’s possible to start late or switch tracks along the way.

Fierle said Saturday will be the “perfect opportunity” for students and parents to explore all the district has to offer with its CTE programs.

“I’d rather them find out now what they like and don’t like,” Fierle said. “There’s no risk when you’re doing this in school.”

The CTE Career Academy Showcase will happen from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the UNF Adam W. Herbert University Center, 12000 Alumni Dr.