Help young people connect with skills training

Words: Steven Adams/Public/News/20120921134500-1.jpg" width="600" height="338" border="0" alt="It's important that we educate students and parents about the career opportunities." />
It's important that we educate students and parents about the career opportunities.
"With 3 million jobs left unfilled in our country due to a mismatch of employer needs and workers' skills, it's important that we educate students and parents about the career opportunities available," according to Jan Bray, Executive Director of the 27,000 member Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE).

CFA and the ACTE are running parallel contests to promote awareness of career and technical education options. You can help spread the word! Forward this note to students or teachers you know so they can enter these contests! The winners will featured in national publicity programs.

CFA is inviting current career and technical education student teams to produce short videos that, in their own voice and style, tell their own stories about how they are benefiting from the programs in which they are enrolled. Some production funds are available for teams. Application deadline Nov. 2nd. Download CFA Contest Invitation

ACTE has launched its sixth annual video public service announcement video contest for secondary and postsecondary CTE students. CTE students or teams are invited to use their video skills to promote CTE by creating a 29 second video incorporating the theme, "Career and Technical Education Works!". The first-place winner will receive a $750 cash prize. Videos must be submitted by October 30, 2012. ACTE Contest and Rules Announcement

CFA fully endorses ACTE's 2013 CTE Month (February) which promotes career and technical education. This is a great national celebration of rewarding career options!

"ACTE is excited to highlight the winners of the Center for America's "Inspiring by Example" video contest during CTE Month 2013 alongside the winners of the CTE Month PSA Contest," says Jan Bray, Executive Director of ACTE. "Both video contests are great opportunities for CTE students to share their stories and perspectives on how career and technical education works for their lives and communities."
Masonry as the Standard: Delivering Strength, Durability, and Permanence at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs
July 2026

The replacement of First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs serves as a clear example of masonry’s ability to deliver long-term durability, structural integrity, and architectural permanence in worship facility construction. Following the tragic events

Designing Masonry Openings Without Compromising Aesthetics
July 2026

One of masonry's greatest strengths is its ability to create visually striking architecture. From arches and deep reveals to decorative brick detailing, masonry provides texture, depth, and character that continue to inspire architects today. As buildin

Restoring the Breath of the Building: The Life-Saving Science Behind Historic Masonry Repairs
July 2026

When I first set out to become a historic preservation and restoration mason, I imagined that most of my trade would involve repairing the effects of old age. Instead, 99 percent of my work is attempting to stabilize and reverse damage caused by recent an

Laying the Foundation for the Future: Workforce Development at the Arizona Masonry Council
July 2026

For generations, masonry has been built on a simple but powerful principle: knowledge passed from one set of hands to the next. In Arizona, the Arizona Masonry Council (AMC) is working to ensure that tradition continues by investing in one of the industr