CTE at RLA: Trades Program

CTE Month is a public awareness campaign that takes place each February to celebrate the value and achievements of Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs across the country. Learn more about RLA's CTE program for coordinator Angie Gilbert:

The Trades Program is in its 19th year of operation and is a BOLI certified pre-apprenticeship training program, one of only two in East County. There are twelve students in the program and our Crew Leader, Sean McFall, is one of the first graduates of the program. The Trades Program works with local and regional apprenticeship programs and industry partners throughout the year. Students are cohorted together attending a Trades Math class, a Technical Writing Class, Science and Trades Internship on the days they are not in the field. This provides for a well-rounded experience and demonstrates how course work and field work can be collaborative and applicable to real life. It also answers the question for students, "When will I ever use this?" We utilize curriculum meeting state standards as well as those of apprenticeship and industry partners. 

To start the year, the Trades Program worked with CymaSpace, a local non-profit that works with the deaf and hard-of-hearing community to make arts, culture, and media events accessible and inclusive. We have been volunteering with them for nearly 10 years. We also visited Cascadia Partners, an urban planning company in downtown Portland, where we learned about how parks in Portland are planned. We visited the Masons, Bricklayers and Plasterers to learn about their trades and toured Diebold Lumber and Marks Brothers. 

Trades completed their OSHA 10 certifications, visited the Sheet Metal Institute, NECA/IBEW, and the Portland Fire Department in December 2021 and January 2022.  In the coming months, we will be working with Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center (OMIC) for experiences with virtual technology and a tour of their incredible facility, as well as the Painters and Drywall Finishers, Pacific Northwest Carpenters Institute, the Glaziers, both MHCC automotive programs, Ironworkers, the Lineman, Heavy Equipment Operators, Laborers, ODOT, Security Signs, Columbia Gorge Community College Wind Technology Program and wind farm, McCoy Millworks, Tidewater and much, much more. 

We are currently working to get our Modix Big 60 3D printer operational so students can learn to navigate the wonderful world of 3D printing, which is a big push in most industries in the CTE world. In addition, in our Trades Internship Class, we will be training in teamwork, diversity, communication, and more using the High Five Training Materials provided through BOLI. This will be a very interactive opportunity for students to talk about skills and issues in the world of work. 

Angie Gilbert
Reynolds Learning Academy
School-To-Work/Trades Coordinator/District CTE Liaison