Starting this year, the district is expanding its Career Technical Education program to middle school.
In high school, Visalia Unified students get to pick a pathway they'd like to follow.
That could include electrical, engineering, or agriculture -- just to name a few.
It's a great way for students to get a jumpstart on a career.
Superintendent Kirk Shrum says sometimes, students struggle to find a field they like.
That means they may not spend enough time on one focus to earn industry certifications.
"If you're dabbling and trying to figure out, 'What am I interested in?" it may be too late," Shrum said.
That's why this year, VUSD is starting the process sooner.
For the first time, middle school students will have the opportunity to enroll in the "CTE Career Experience" course.
"It's really about how we can expand and build opportunity for them in middle school? Open their eyes to everything that's available to them earlier," Shrum said.
CTE Middle School Program Manager Amy Frame says this will help students be hands-on as they learn about the pathways offered in high school.
Each semester, students will explore at least three different industry sectors.
That includes HVAC, home maintenance, welding and robotics.
"For each lab, the kids are going to be introduced to one or more people who actually work in that industry, learn how they got educated, learn what their career pathway was, learn how they got a foot in the door," Frame said.
The district worked with industry partners and College of the Sequoias to decide what should be offered.
"So the kids get to work with four-stroke engines and disassemble them. They get to work in a competition on who can grow the most, best plants," Frame said.
Students will take what they learned in the labs and create their own plan for a small business they'd like to build across the city of Visalia.
The superintendent says the goal is to get students set up for success as soon as possible.
"I think word is going to spread, and I wouldn't be surprised if in a year or so, every middle school kid wants to take this opportunity," Frame said.
There's already a lot of interest. So far, 500 students district-wide are enrolled in the course.
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