When Dylan Jefferies encountered career and technical education (CTE) offerings available at Rancho Bernardo High School, it was as if everything suddenly clicked.
He knew he wanted to be an engineer and was already taking engineeringrelated courses. But it was only after he happened upon CTE that his interests were connected with realworld possibilities. While still in high school, Dylan was hired into a paid apprenticeship at Northrop Grumman through the CTE program.
The happenstance of finding the programs led Dylan to become a CTE ambassador to help connect others to career opportunities.
"Becoming an ambassador and getting involved with that side of [CTE], it really changed a lot of things for me. I had my mind made up for so long that I was going to go to university and I was going to go away and all that stuff,” Dylan says. “But really, what I ended up doing was going to community college and getting involved with Northrop Grumman. And it enabled me all the opportunities I’ve had up to this moment, and I’m really grateful.”
Space to Grow
It’s a similar scenario facing high school students every year: How do I ensure that what I study after high school leads to a bright future?
And while students may feel that it’s becoming an increasingly daunting decision, those who pursue CTE pathways f ind it’s also critical to rule out what isn’t a true passion.
“They just give you the chance to learn something outside of the classroom where you can go and learn different skills on your own. It will encourage you to go and learn more about programming or whatever … you’ll learn so much more if you have a reason to go learn on your own and apply it in a real-world scenario,” says Michael Salamy, a Poway High School graduate.
Michael cultivated his passion in the PHS Academy of Engineering after learning about the pathway from a booth at freshman orientation. Hesitant to balance his love of basketball with the potential pathway workload, Michael says he was reassured by other students in the program who were still able to participate in athletics.
The experience led Michael to the University of California, Berkeley, where he graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He credits the program and its team competitions with providing experiences he could translate to his college applications.
“A few of my college apps came directly from experiences that I had in that engineering academy,” Michael says.
Eventually, Michael took a particular interest in one of the skills developed through team competitions: Communication. After UC Berkeley, he went on to acquire a law degree from University of Southern California, and is currently a patent attorney.
“We would present to judges, it was me and either one or two other students, and we would write this long speech and give a 15 or 20 minute presentation to the judges,” Michael says. “Kind of looking back on that, I thought that tied together the speaking component and writing and communicating about engineering concepts, and that’s kind of similar to what I do.”
Finding that Spark
CTE pathways provide students with the opportunity to cultivate their passions and talents—or discover them—in a supportive environment. These personalized avenues of career exploration, which often include college credit, equip students with the necessary skills to excel in a competitive job market.
Currently, Poway Unified students have access to CTE pathways across industries like agriculture and natural resources; arts, media, and entertainment; building and construction trades; business and finance; education, child development, and family services; engineering and architecture; health science and medical technology; hospitality, tourism, and recreation; information and communication technology; manufacturing and product development; marketing, sales, and services; public services; and transportation.
Kathleen Porter, Executive Director of CTE, says the district’s CTE pathways offer students a variety of opportunities through its innovative programs.
“Career Technical Education opens doors for students to see themselves in their future,” Porter says. “Through meaningful, hands-on experiences, students discover their strengths, connect learning to realworld opportunities, and build pathways to high-skill, high-wage, high-demand careers.”
Historically, more than 400 Poway Unified high school students participate in an internship. Many more students participate in work-based learning experiences, such as guest speaker events, informational interviews, mentor-led projects, and job shadowing sessions.
Through January 2026, teachers reported at least 4,400 students have taken part in work-based learning experiences. These work-based learning opportunities serve an appetite for job readiness before leaving high school, as students draw more connections between what they’re studying and how they envision their future.
Jamal Felton, career education specialist at Poway Unified, says he hopes students f ind their sense of purpose through the experiences they have in CTE.
“If you’re a current student searching for direction after high school, one of the best first steps is to connect with your school counselor or career guidance technician and complete a career assessment ... These tools can help you better understand how your interests, personality, learning style, and skills align with different career pathways,” says Felton. “More importantly, this insight can guide your decisions in the short term—such as choosing high school electives, exploring potential college majors, and identifying meaningful work-based learning opportunities like internships, apprenticeships, or job shadow experiences.”
Felton also encourages students to take advantage of campus career centers and career-focused events at their school.
Partners in Education
Offerings within CTE pathways throughout PUSD are in large part possible thanks to the relationships with organizations through the Poway Unified School District’s Partners in Education program. These vital connections bring professionals to the classroom, create early career and learning opportunities, and support programs with materials that elevate student learning.
Poway Unified’s CTE Student Expo is a prime example of those partnerships in action. This event brings together more than 500 individuals from partner organizations to network with students, as they showcase their work demonstrating college and career readiness.
An estimated 3,000 to 4,000 partners, parents, and students filtered through the expo in 2025. That’s thousands of face-to-face interactions that create meaningful— and valuable—connections to industry for high school students.
Katie Salo, career education specialist and Partners in Education manager at PUSD, says there are a variety of methods for professionals to provide valuable exposure to the working world. Partners can choose the type of participation that aligns with their expertise, whether that’s advising on curriculum, mentoring student projects alongside teachers, guest speaking, hosting tours, or offering internship opportunities.
“Industry involvement and support has never been more important as we prepare students for a work landscape that is undergoing significant change,” says Salo.
Porter adds that the event is an important way to introduce students to this unknown future of work.
“Our CTE Expo brings learning to life. It’s a powerful opportunity for students to showcase their work, engage with industry partners, and articulate their growth— while strengthening the partnerships that ensure our programs remain relevant, rigorous, and connected to the world beyond the classroom,” says Porter.
This article was originally printed in the Spring 2026 edition of EmpowerEd Magazine.