Students and faculty in more than 29 career and technical education programs at Lee County High Tech Center Central will be celebrating National Career and Technical Education Month during February. One of the ways High Tech Central is celebrating is by participating in SkillsUSA and Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) regional skills competitions.

The month-long celebration emphasizes the role career and technical education and its business/ industry partners play in helping high school students and adults achieve career success.

According to the 2008 Bureau of Labor Statistics report, nearly one-third of the fastest growing occupations will require an associate’s degree or a post-secondary vocational certificate. More than 80 percent of respondents in a 2005 Skills Gap Report indicated that they are experiencing a shortage of qualified workers overall, with 13 percent reporting severe shortages and 68 percent indicating moderate shortages, authorities said.

Nationwide, more than 11 million secondary and post-secondary students participate in career and technical training, with more than 209,000 students annually obtaining employment.

The majority of the students who receive their education at High Tech Central enter the local workforce in areas such as health sciences, business, culinary, computers, construction, transportation, and many more. These students remain in the community and become contributors to the local economy and service sectors, school officials said.