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Steve Jobs once said, "The only way to do great work is to love what you do." There is great wisdom in these words as we think about success and the part education plays in helping one to discover a pathway to achieve one's desires. Just as the dreams we hold for ourselves make us each unique, so are the goals we each set for ourselves to achieve these dreams. In so doing, education becomes a key initial signpost to help us navigate the way to fulfill our dreams! The School District of Belleville embraces this notion of education needing to be a compass to guide students' goals and dreams and why their current Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs are so important for the furtherment of many of their students' success stories!

Nate Perry, District Administrator for the School District of Belleville, underscores the importance of CTE programs for their students in the 21st century as they work to trailblaze their paths forward. "The School District of Belleville is elated that it has been able to create and expand programs for students not bound for a 4-year college or university. Our Career & Technical Education courses are preparing students for stable, good paying jobs in areas of need within the local economy."

In an ever changing world dependent on a workforce that is well versed in the latest technology, creating choices and opportunities for students to train for careers during their high school career is great for the students and appreciated by their future employers.

To this end, Teresa Gartley, Belleville High School's (BHS) School-to Career Coordinator, gets to witness how well its CTE and Youth Apprentice (YA) programs are fulfilling not only helping students put the stepping stones in place through customized educational opportunities, but also helping to build the road to their future careers in the workforce. Gartley acknowledges the success of one of her students as he prepares to graduate this spring.

"Last night I learned that Trent Baumgartner will stay on full time with DeSmet Septic and Excavating, and that four classes we paid for through Destination Career Academy for heavy machine operators helped him on the job learn about grades and multiple skills he needed," said Gartley.

Trent is just one example of a senior who Teresa is seeing make his way to success through educational opportunities she and the School District of Belleville has had a hand in providing for students who have a desire to make their high school education serve as a stepping stone on their road forward into the workforce. But, there are more - just take a look at Trent's story juxtaposed to his fellow seniors Lance Varney, Eli Dettwiler, and Noah O'Dair. Each of these young men's stories is different, but they have used education at BHS in a unique way to carve their paths forward as they have focused on CTE during their high school careers.

Trenton applied to his Youth Apprenticeship in the Spring of 2020 after attending a hands-on Heavy Equipment Operator Career Day at Associated Training Services in Sun Prairie. Trenton was hired by Travis and Andrea DeSmet, owners of DeSmet Septic & Excavating in Belleville. The Department of Workforce Development was piloting a new Heavy Machine Operators Program within the Architecture and Construction career pathway this year and Trenton was one of the first Dane County apprentices to earn this occupational certification in addition to Plumbing/Sprinkler Fitting Fundamentals. Trenton had plans to attend the Engineers Local 139 in Coloma after graduation. Through Belleville High School's partnership with the Dane County School Consortium, Trenton was able to enroll in the Operating Engineers Local 139 pre-apprenticeship courses offered by Destination Career Academy of Wisconsin and successfully completed four courses (Basic Maintenance of Mobile Equipment, Basic Construction Equipment Fundamental, Construction Math and CDL for his licensure). Independently, he was required to earn OSHA 10 and First Aid Certifications.

Travis DeSmet stated, "Trenton has a strong work ethic and learns quickly; qualities hard to find in every young person today."

Because of the investment Trenton made in his future through YA, Travis offered him full-time employment, which Trenton will begin after graduation.

BHS Senior Lance Varney's path forward was uniquely different from Trenton's, but equally as successful through CTE opportunities available to him. According to Ms. Gartley, "We were approached in 2019 by the Belleville Fire Chief about recruiting young men and women for the new Junior Firefighter Program for 15-18 year olds."

At the time, Lance was just 16, but joined the program and quickly found his vocation. When Lance graduates in June, he plans to continue his education formally at Madison College in the Protective Services Department, earning state certification(s) as a Firefighter so he can begin his full-time career. This career area also has many levels of certification and training allowing for advancement. He credits the time and training given by the volunteers at our local fire department for inspiring him.

Like Trenton, high school senior Eli Dettwiler also found his vocation and the needed training through a Youth Apprenticeship opportunity. Eli applied to his Youth Apprenticeship in the spring of 2020, with the hopes of gaining his training in Plumbing. Because it was during the pandemic, BHS was not able to locate a work placement for Eli, so he stayed in his School to Career Work Experience Program at Duluth Trading company and took a Dane County School Consortium Commercial Construction Course. He earned his OSHA and First Aid Certifications in addition to courses in the high school's Technical Education Department. Eli continued to work toward his goal by meeting with Jeff Kennedy, who manages the Wisconsin Adult Registered Apprenticeship Program, developing his resume in Personal Finance and Careers and started to apply at plumbing companies. Eli interviewed and was hired to start at H.J. Pertzborn Plumbing and Fire Protection in Madison in June. After he has demonstrated mastery of beginning knowledge and core skills, he will have the option to transition into the paid Adult Apprenticeship Program and move through the phases to earn his Master Plumber license.

Lastly, Noah O'Dair had insider knowledge of what Belleville High School's YA programs could do for him and is following in the footsteps of his aunt and BHS graduate, Sara Campbell Kuehl, as she was a part of the first Youth Apprenticeship group back in 1994. Noah started his Youth Apprenticeship in June of 2020 after being hired by Tom and Ingrid Sommers - owners of T & L Electric in Belleville, a second time YA employer for Belleville High School. Noah also took the DCSC Commercial Construction Course and earned his OSHA 10 and First Aid Certification. As Noah prepares to graduate in June, he has the satisfaction of knowing he has already been hired full-time by T & L Electric and plans to take a different, yet accepted, path toward his goal of becoming a master electrician. Rather than pursue the Wisconsin Registered Adult Apprenticeship Program, Noah has chosen to take Electrician courses independently through Stratford Career Institute and take the Journey Worker's exam.

Noah O'Dair

Like his classmates Trenton, Lance, and Eli, Noah has had experience in handcrafting the best way forward for himself to pave the way for his future during his high school career. He not only will accomplish his dreams of becoming a master electrician, but he has learned key strategies for personalizing his success moving forward through having a hand in his education in high school. For these four young men on the cusp of graduation, educational programs like CTE and Youth Apprenticeships offered them choices that allowed them to place the first stepping stones that have begun to shape their futures - futures that are more meaningful than most for they themselves have built their own highway to their dreams. In the end, because of their CTE choices, these four high school graduates will do great work because they have chosen the work they love to do by experiencing it first-hand!