Rural High School Students First in Nation to Earn STEM/STEAM Stackable Industry Certifications

Today we are highlighting one of our long-time partners, Dr. Maurico Castillo, and his students. Dr. Castillo teaches in the College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology at California State University, Los Angeles and is an Advisor for Web Professionals Global , the professional association for all things web. This semester, Dr. Castillo has been teaching students at the Esteban Torres High School Engineering & Technology Academy. He is teaching CTeLearning’s AI for the Workplace course . 30 students worked their way through the course that teaches students how AI can be harnessed in the workplace, no matter what the future educational and career paths of the students may be. The course features the PromptScout tool, which helps students learn how various AI prompts can be used in a variety of professional settings to streamline work. The 5,360 prompts cover 63 different industries ranging from welding and business and cosmetology to agriculture. We caught up with Dr. Castillo to hear about his experience working with CTeLearning and teaching the course: “AI is here and is becoming a part of every career pathway. As CTE educators we must prepare learners for their future, and their future will include AI. AI will not replace people in their chosen pathways, but I see it helping to do more in less time. For example, people in a variety of career fields including welders, electricians, mechanics, solar techs, cosmetologists, web designers, and arborists are small business owners and entrepreneurs. As a welder, you have a craft that is high-paying and you may own your own business. AI can help you with many administrative tasks including digital marketing, customer service communications, and even safety reviews and codes review. AI is becoming the new career literacy. Every student needs to learn about how AI is a valuable tool and not something we should be afraid of. I was the first to deploy this course in CA. I took the opportunity with a class at a local high school that had 30 students. As a member of the advisory committee of Web Professionals Global, I got to see much of the early development of the microcredential and its supporting curriculum. So, when I had the chance to give it a test drive, I could not resist. I am a professor, and so like all professor types I am passionate about learning and can talk forever on any topic I love. I am excited for you to hear from the first class of certificate earners.” Hear From the Students Let’s hear from Dr. Castillo’s students about how they liked the course.  “What I liked about the CTelearning course is that it made you learn ways you can work with AI without letting the AI control your work. It helps you understand how to make the AI work with you and what you want to create. I also like the scenarios because it helps us get an experience of what it's like to use AI to help which work. ” –Veronica Perez “To learn about AI is a great thing considering that’s what is increasing in this economy. I feel like this program is doing a good thing teaching us high school students how to use it. Learning AI can help us in the future as we can find a path in an AI-based career or even in common life situations. I’m very glad to be able to have this opportunity as I see this as something very useful for my future.” –Josie Beltran “There were many things that I enjoyed about the AI in the Workplace course. Before this, I was always skeptical about AI, and even considered myself a hater. When I started reading the modules, I really enjoyed the new information I was learning about AI and how helpful it can be in work life, but also in real life. I also liked how there were sections in the modules that showed the dangers and cons for AI. A lot of people who are passionate about something seem to only show the bright side of it, but I really liked that the course didn’t show any bias and showed how AI can be bad as well. Another reason why I liked this was because it taught me new ways to use AI and all the capabilities it has.” –Derrek Aparicio “The program was very helpful because it helps you learn completely different things and can help prepare you for the future.” –Jesse Mendez “What I like about the program is the attention to detail throughout the course. Each action is divided into different topics, making it more accessible to users.” –Emely Perez “What I liked about the program we took was the scenarios. They allow me to see situations where I could use AI in real life. The situations were mainly in work environments, where I could really use AI to help me in situations.” –Abel Gonzales Your School Could Be Next Contact us today at hello@ctelearning.com or 877-828-1216 to schedule your free 20-minute demo. One of our team members will show you how you can bring this innovative AI curriculum into your classroom and prepare your students for success.

Frequent readers of our blog know we like to highlight our teachers and students across the country who are doing great work. Today we are highlighting Patrick McLane and his students. Patrick is the Illustration and Design Instructor at the Career Technology Center (CTC) of Lackawanna County in Pennsylvania and will be delivering a new certificate opportunity to his students in Fall 2025 thanks to a new partnership. Recently, career and technical education (CTE) programs in PA schools worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Education Bureau of Career and Technical Education (BCTE) to provide an alternative to Adobe certificates for high school and CTC students. Thanks to this effort, the Certified Web Animator Certificate is now recognized in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) by the state of Pennsylvania. The certificate is part of our Web and Computer Animation course and is backed by Web Professionals Global , our industry partner. Web Professionals Global is the industry association for all web-related careers, and all certifications are created and backed by industry professionals. The Learn and Earn partnership with Web Professionals Global allows students to earn career-building certifications while still in school, and the cost of certifications are underwritten by the CTeLearning partnership with the professional association. Editors’s Note: Formerly known as the World of Webmasters (WOW), Web Professionals Global underwent a rebranding in 2022. Certifications in state listings may still appear under the WOW umbrella. Today, most educators and industry members recognize that WOW is now known as Web Professionals Global. Patrick’s students will be exploring an exciting career pathway and earning certifications that they can take with them in their future educational and professional careers. Another bonus Patrick and his students will enjoy is the fact that the curriculum is PC, Mac and Chromebook ready. It also includes a robust online animation editor tool suite that is free with the curriculum, and there is nothing to install on the student’s device. This will ensure complete flexibility and mobility for all his learners. Let’s hear from Patrick to hear about his experience getting the certificate approved by the state and what he is looking forward to when his students take advantage of this opportunity next fall. What did your advisory committee say when you approached them about adding the Certified Web Animator Certificate and shifting away from offering only an Adobe Photoshop certification? Did they echo your sentiments about wanting to offer more to students? Our Occupational Advisory Committee was in agreement that there needed to be an alternative to the Adobe Certifications as a path to graduation for students. They felt that the Certified Web Animator Certificate was a great option. Not only did it satisfy many of the Digital Imaging requirements of our task list, it offered an opportunity for students to practice and master many soft-skills addressed in our instructional area. One of the stand outs of the Web Professionals Global certifications is their attention to soft skills. The certifications are all about building the whole professional and not someone who is proficient in just a tool or a couple skills. In this case the Web Animator certification also covers ethics, IP, project management, design process, marketing, storyboard, audio, and technical aspects of creating robust animations built on a timeline. What was the process like working with the Pennsylvania Department of Education to get the Certified Web Animator Certificate approved? The process proved to be pretty painless. The documentation of your curriculum was so thorough, it made it easy for us to show alignment with our state task list. The Certified Web Animator Certificate teaches not only animation but also music, sound effects, audio engineering, storyboarding, ethics, critical thinking, and math in the workplace. What do you like about this comprehensive approach to preparing learners? I love the fact that the program incorporates various competencies. The soft skills and professional practice elements of the certification add another level of assessment for those areas of my curriculum. The production areas are an added bonus that help the students develop into more well-rounded professionals and prepare them for the workforce. How does it feel knowing you are giving your students the opportunity to earn certifications that are backed by industry, not just a testing company? It is an excellent addition to my program. Not only does it give students skills that are transferable no matter which platform a potential employer utilizes, it provides opportunities for higher level creative problem solving. What feedback have you received from your administrators about the course change and upgrading the certification options? Our administration is always appreciative when we can offer additional opportunities to students. It helps when they are marketing our program to sending school districts. What would you tell other teachers who may be interested in offering this certification to their students? If you have been searching for an alternative certification path for your students, the Certified Web Animator Certificate is an excellent option whether your program is focused on digital media, web design, or commercial and advertising design. The concepts presented in the program are industry standard and applicable to a wide range of disciplines. Contact us Today For more information about how you can help your students earn career-building certifications, contact us today at 913-764-4272 or hello@ctelearning.com . We would be happy to show you how we can help in a free 20-minute demo.