Career technical education program in Colorado is expanding while college enrollment is declining

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Every year, high school students have to choose if they want to attend college or head straight into the workforce.

Based on the data from the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE), there is an increasing trend of students choosing not to enroll in college.

According to the CDHE, the "2023 Post Secondary Report," highlights a decline in high school students enrolling in college. For 2021 grads, the percentage of students enrolling in college was 49.9%, which was a small decrease after a more than a 5% drop from 2019, mostly due to the effects of the pandemic, according to CDHE.

It's not an easy choice deciding whether or not to go to college and that's why the non-profit, Careers in Construction Colorado (CICC), has made it their mission to give students other options within vocational education.

CICC was started in 2015 by leaders in the construction industry through the Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs (CSHBA). The program started with one high school and 23 students. Due to the demand, they have grown to 62 schools with over 3,000 active students.

Career Technical Education (CTE) programs give students hands-on learning while in school. A part of the CICC curriculum in Colorado Springs is the Home Build Program. This program enables students to construct a 1200-square-foot modular home on school district property. The goal is to have each school (that’s able) build at least one home per school year. Students use the skills they learn in their classroom settings - carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and OSHA 10 safety – to construct a new home. Industry professionals provide on-site support through Builder Captains as well as licensed trade partners.

Students at Coronado High School recently finished constructing a new modular home, which has already been sold.

"It's really exciting because it is truly construction-based vocational education right from the ground up. And so students that are involved in a homebuilder program really see the process of building a home. They're involved in that. They take pride and develop confidence in their skills in developing and building a home for a citizen of their county," said Glenn Hard, executive director of CICC.

The program is an elective class at each of the schools and students are able to learn about construction during school. In Colorado Springs, the CSHBA’s membership has stepped up to help students by being guest speakers in the classroom, donating time and materials, and employing students. CICC connects each student with a company that fits their interest.

The organization has placed over 1,000 students in various careers within the construction sector, with nearly 650 of these students thriving in Colorado Springs since the program started in 2015.