CATEC is working to keep its enrollment rate high

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - The Charlottesville-Albemarle Technical Education Center is working to keep its enrollment high.

It’s up 40 percent since 2020, a trend they’re hoping to hold on to.

“Learning trades is never gonna go away,” CATEC student Ryan Farley said.

Construction Technology and Building Trades are just two classes CATEC offers where students are taught how to build small house models.

“You have something smaller that you can work on and see what your issues are with it or what you do well, so you can translate that into the real thing,” Farley said.

This helps give them practice to build actual houses, which they are given an opportunity to do at points in the courses.

“Every day when our students come in the first thing we do is talk about safety, safety is our number one priority in class,” Instructor Tommy Farrer said.

Students have opportunities to earn certifications throughout their time at CATEC, boosting their chances of being hired after graduation.

“We do NCCER which is the National Center for Construction Education and Research and they’ll receive certification once they complete the program,” Farrer said.

CATEC has a adult education and apprentice options. Their classes extend beyond construction, to cosmetology, EMT training, nursing, and more.

“Everyone’s gonna need trades to keep the world running, so CATEC is a good opportunity to come and do whatever you’d like,” Farley said.

Click here for contact information if you’re considering enrollment.

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