WE ARE THE STEWARDS OF THE OREGON WORKFORCE PIPELINE
CTSOs serve as the caretakers of Oregon’s future employees. By bringing together industry, community, educational institutions, parents, and students, we are ensuring industry and career relevance within the educational system and bridging the gap in the transition from school to career.
Students are enrolled in technical courses and programs that teach the skills necessary to perform specific jobs in industry. They are achieving their academic learning within a technical training environment and then provided the opportunity to demonstrate and further develop their technical skills through CTSO programs and activities.
We nurture the personal development and self-awareness of your future employees.
CTSOs provide opportunities to explore and develop soft skills such as work ethic, communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and self-confidence. Through competitions, hands-on workshops, conferences, team collaborations, and opportunities to serve the community, students apply their growth, learning, and development to tangible career-related experiences.
We value the long-term impacts of workforce development.
Progress in workforce development cannot happen overnight. It takes years of learning, mentorship, and experience to grow an employee holistically in their personal and professional development. By providing today’s youth with the technical and leadership training in industry, they gain a head start in developing their employability skills.
WE INVEST IN THE GROWTH OF FUTURE LEADERS
CTSO students are leaders. Leaders are learners, networkers, collaborators, innovators, and contributors. Through CTSOs, students have opportunities to serve in leadership positions, work in teams, generate ideas, problem-solve, cast vision, and drive execution successfully. We are the home to the future leaders of industry.
WHO WE SERVE
We help CTSOs serve business and industry
CTSOs serve business and industry and the overall economy of the state of Oregon by investing in the youth of today so that they can become the strong workforce of tomorrow.
With more than 2 million student members combined, Career and Technical Student Organizations integrate into Career and Technical Education programs and courses across the country. CTSOs extend teaching and learning through innovative programs, business and community partnerships and leadership experiences at the school, state and national levels. CTSOs are a powerful avenue for helping our nation address key challenges such as workforce development, student achievement, economic vitality and global competitiveness. CTSOs are authorized by the U.S. Congress in the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act.
WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY
TESTIMONIALS
I graduated high school in 2009, hold a Chapter degree, and a proficiency award for agricultural processing. Even after serving in the United States Marine Corps, the FFA Motto still holds true. I’m still learning to do, doing to learn, earning to live, and living to serve.
As a fourth-year member of DECA, I have seen tremendous self-growth throughout my high school career. My first year of DECA was quite nerve-wracking. It consisted of me having no business knowledge whatsoever, combined with being the only freshman in the club. But walking into the Area 5 Conference I was stunned by the amount of opportunity and passion displayed in front of me. Everyone was competing in different categories, but we all shared a common goal of growing as people and leaders. Flash-forward to senior year and now serve as an officer at the state level. Being involved with CTSOs has aided in making me feel more prepared than ever to graduate high school and pursue a career in marketing. I have been exposed to a plethora of opportunities consisting of traveling to Georgia and Florida for the International Career Development Conferences, speaking in front of thousands of members at our conferences, and making business connections with professionals in a variety of industries. DECA has also brought me closer to my community. As an officer, I have worked with the Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce to help develop advocacy for our CTSO and provide new opportunities for our members. DECA doesn’t just teach us about finance and advertising, but it teaches us how to be prepared leaders inside and outside of the classroom. It has turned me into a quiet freshman afraid to speak her mind, into an assertive, young woman with goals for achieving more and making change.
HOSA was the best experience I could have had to gear myself up for reaching my goals as a future health professional. I was a state officer and a mentor to younger students. HOSA helped me to narrow down what I want to do and gave me great leadership workshops to build on my leadership skills! It’s an amazing experience for everyone involved!
