CTC Career Talk

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended and participated in our annual Open House on October 23rd. Your presence and support made the evening very special. Students and staff members were on-hand to provide information about their respective program and to answer questions. In addition, business representatives and post-secondary institutions were also available to provide additional information about career and post-secondary opportunities.

Our annual Open House is a great way for us to kick off the CTC Shadowing process which runs November 4 through February 26. Students interested in applying to a CTC program must first schedule a shadow experience for the program(s) they would like to apply. Shadowing is mandatory for applying to any program offered at CTC. Students may shadow and apply for up to two programs and are encouraged to select programs to shadow by talking with their high school counselor or by checking out the programs on our CTC web site. Also-- an Open House at CTC is not just a recruitment event. It’s a community celebration of skill, innovation and opportunity. It helps to bridge the gap between families and industry while empowering students to explore their futures with confidence.

As always, we welcome your questions, comments and suggestions. Please feel free to call or email me or any staff member any time and keep the lines of communication open so that we can, together, support and challenge “our” students.

Sincerely,

Michael Concepcion - Principal

Mr. Concepcion proudly presented a Certificate of Appreciation to SMART Sheet Metal Workers Local 100 members, Zack Taylor (center) and Dave Goetzke (right). Recognized during the awards ceremony, Local 100 received their well-deserved honor at the Open House—right where they shine the most, supporting the HVAC and plumbing program with dedication and skill.

During the 2024-2025 school year 169 students took 315 dual enrollment courses as part of their CTC programs. The first program to start offering dual enrollment courses was CISCO Academy. During their first year in the Computer Tech Analyst courses, students are able to enroll in CMIS 120, CMIS 121, and CMIS 290. In their second year in the CISCO Academy, they can enroll in CMIS 291 and CMIS 281. Students who complete all these options can leave the CTC CISCO Academy program with 15 college credits.

Our TV Multimedia program has also been a long-time dual enrollment opportunity for our students with offerings in FILM 144 and FILM 101. The Homeland Security/Criminal Justice program offers EMGT 111, CCJS 101, and CCJS 209. Our Teaching Academy of Maryland program offers dual enrollment in EDPS 210 and our Agri-Business program offers BMGT 140 and BMGT 109 for dual enrollment credits.

Our Digital Design and Printing Methods program added a new dual enrollment offering during the 2023-2024 school year with the GRPH 111 course being offered to students.

For more information about dual enrollment you can visit https://frederick.edu/admissions/dual-enrollment.aspx, contact your school counselor, or the CTC Dean of Students Mr. Pirri at Kevin.Pirri@FCPS.org

Putting together and executing a brunch for the American Culinary Federation (ACF) accreditation review was a very interesting experience for me. It helped show off what we as a class have learned and how well our program runs as well as gave me an opportunity to push myself to do something different. It was a great chance to practice working together and using the skills we’ve been taught, all while creating a meal that felt special but approachable. From planning to serving, this event helped me see how much teamwork and organization go into making something like this happen and I’m proud of what we pulled off.

This brunch became possible because the ACF program certification happens every five years and is done to make sure that accredited programs like Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry around the country are in compliance with the ACF standards. They sent two ACF certified chefs out to the school to do a comprehensive review and to observe things like the curriculum being taught, instruction and student learning. Other things that they look at are skills being taught & performed, as well as the functions of the kitchen and facility. We invited Program Advisory Committee members, former students, and colleagues to come in to speak with the ACF accreditation team so they could get a better understanding of how the program is meeting the needs of the students and the local hospitality community. At that meeting we provided everyone with an assortment of enjoyable items such as: a cheese & fruit platter, a fresh garden salad with homemade honey shallot vinaigrette dressing (using CTC honey which we extracted the day before), an elevated triple decker turkey club sandwich which consisted of freshly sliced smoked turkey which was placed with sourdough bread and a pumpernickel bread middle layer. Lastly for dessert, a peach & cream cheese pastry.

When designing this brunch, I wanted it to feel light since it was so early in the morning but also have a bit of an elevated feel to it. I want to thank Chef Liddick for giving me this opportunity to lead this event, which allowed me to gain experience in planning, organizing and managing a team. Another big part of this was creating a grocery list and estimating costs so it gave me valuable insight into the logistics and costs of doing events similar to this. The prep work was divided between my classmates over two days. On the first day, I worked with Tristan Vail, Sean Whalem, Ella Newcomer, Michaela Douglas, Izzy Quintana, and Casey Glynn to accomplish things like cutting produce, prepping any salad toppings like cheese discs or candied pecans and many other tasks. On the second day, the rest of my class joined in to finish prepping. Their teamwork was essential in bringing everything together. When it came time for the event, Tristan and I assembled each dish and served the courses to our guests, using proper techniques of serving from the left and clearing from the right as well as clearing tables.

I want to thank my classmates Tristan, Sean, Ella, Michaela, Izzy, and Casey for the hard work they put in to make this possible as well as all the rest of my classmates helping this vision of mine come to life. Tristan in particular worked side by side with me during service and helped ensure everything went smoothly from start to finish. Without Chef Liddick, this wouldn’t have been possible so I also want to thank her for teaching us all of these skills to set us up for success as well as giving us these great opportunities to try new things and to grow as a class, a person and a chef. Because of all the planning, teamwork, and dedication, the execution was amazing. Everything was well prepped, beautifully presented, and professionally served. This experience gave me a stronger understanding of leadership, teamwork, and the organization required to manage an event, and I am proud of what we accomplished together.

Article by, Culinary Arts student, Alicia Alvarez

CTC held our annual American Red Cross Blood Drive on September 25th. Thanks to the generosity and school spirit of our community, the drive collected 28 units of blood, exceeding our original goal of 18 units! A special shout-out goes to our 22 new student donors who rolled up their sleeves for the first time, and to the 9 staff members who took time out of their busy schedules to give. Each donation can help save up to three lives—meaning our school’s effort could impact more than 80 patients in need.

The need for blood donations across the country remains constant and critical. Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. requires blood—whether for surgery, cancer treatment, trauma care, or chronic illness. High school blood drives like ours play a vital role in maintaining the national blood supply, accounting for nearly 20% of all donations collected by the American Red Cross each year.

Our next blood drive will be September 2026!

Students build a powder room during the Builder Olympics in March, an event that showcases FCPS Career and Technology Center students. A new mobile safety lab built in a box trailer could help certify more students with workplace safety credentials. Photo by Cameron Adams, Frederick News-Post

Click the linked PDF below to read the full article from the Frederick News-Post:

Students from left to right: Arwen Flint, Alicia Alvarez, Bella DeCoster, Michaela Douglass, Tristan Vail, Mychel Boatend-Bediako, Keegan Remphrey, Dafne Gautreaux, Angelina Crowder, Tanner Shorb, Maddy Baker, Brayden Wilhelm, Kaelyn Bass, Eryn Kelly

On the morning of Friday the 10th, our CTC chapter SkillsUSA officer team came together to be recognized and officially sworn in for their positions of leadership in the chapter. With Ms. Straits and Ms. Cave leading the ceremony, they presented each officer and read them their short bios and list of duties for their position. Then, the officer lit their candle, recited their individual pledge, and was given their pin by our own Maryland State Western Region Vice President and Competition Liaison, Arwen Flint. After everyone had been presented and recognized, we took a group picture, ate some refreshments made by the Culinary Arts program, and dispersed to our separate programs to finish the day.

Article by, Culinary Arts student, Tristan Vail

The Career and Technology Center (CTC) has initiated the No Place for Hate program. The No Place for Hate program, by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), is a school-wide, student-led initiative that aims to promote inclusivity and equity in schools. This program is a holistic approach to improving school climate and promoting kindness, respect, understanding, and positive interactions. During the week of October 20th - 24th the CTC No Place for Hate student committee and SkillsUSA officers partnered to coordinate Hello Week! A week full of fun activities to engage our students and show them that CTC is a place for everyone! Click on the following link for more information: No Place for Hate

Every November 13th World Kindness Day is observed, it was first introduced in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement and has continued on since then. World Kindness Day is meant to highlight good deeds in the community, focusing on the positive power of kindness. Kindness is a fundamental part of the human condition which bridges the divides of race, religion, politics, gender and location. Additionally, it benefits you to be kind; people who are constantly kind produce 23% less cortisol, which is the stress hormone, and because of the lower levels of stress, people who practice kindness age slower than the average population. This season, we hope that you can challenge yourself to be kind, even when circumstances may make it difficult.

What are some ways you can show kindness? We have a few suggestions:

1. Hold the door open
2. Give compliments
3. Express gratitude
4. Say thank you
5. Be kind to yourself
6. Volunteer
7. Help a neighbor or friend
8. Say hello
9. Listen
10. Smile

In a world where you can be anything, be kind.

Students attended the Construction Career Day hosted by the Maryland Center for Construction Education and Innovation (MCCEI). The countywide event brought together students from programs including Carpentry, HVAC, and Electrical to explore a wide range of careers in the construction industry.

Throughout the day, students participated in hands-on activities, networked with industry professionals, and learned about local companies and apprenticeship opportunities. The event offered an engaging, real-world look at the many pathways available in the skilled trades.

Students in the Welding program spent the day exploring career opportunities in the metal fabrication industry with visits to two local companies. In the morning, they toured EDCO Fabrication, where they learned about advanced manufacturing processes, equipment, and production techniques. Students even were able to weld and talk with the welders that worked there.

In the afternoon, students visited Misc. Metals to see custom metalwork and fabrication in action. Students saw what projects looked like at a larger scale for helping build new data centers around the area. The experience gave them valuable insight into real-world welding applications and the many career paths available in the skilled trades.

If so, have you heard of the Seal of Biliteracy?

It is an award given by a school, district or state in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation.

Why should you earn the Seal of Biliteracy?

It can boost your resume, demonstrate your bilingual skills to potential employers and enhance your college applications.

How do you earn the Seal?

You have to show proficiency in English (MCAP ELA) and another language. To show your proficiency in another language, you must pass the Avant Language Proficiency Test. This is an adaptive test that assesses your skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening. You can meet the Seal requirements before senior year, but you won’t get the official award until senior year. You must meet the English and Heritage Language requirement within two years of each other.

Who can I talk to about the Seal of Biliteracy?

You can talk to your home school counselor. If you are a Multilingual Learner (ML), you can reach out to Ms. Desimon at CTC.

In September, CTC staff observed National Recovery and Suicide Prevention Month by wearing purple and/or teal every Friday to bring awareness and understanding of mental health and substance use disorders, to reduce substance-related deaths and overdoses, and to celebrate those living in recovery.

At CTC we like to promote health and wellness for our students and staff. One way we do this is by creating a fun and informative nutrition bulletin boards in the front hallway. To the right, is our most recent bulletin board. We also incorporate activities into our programs that support physical and mental health.

The Frederick County Career and Technology Center (CTC) is a Career and Technical Education (CTE) school. Our programs and classes combine academic knowledge with technical skills to prepare students for in-demand and high-skilled jobs. CTC provides students with opportunities to earn industry-recognized certifications and licenses, acquire college credit, and gain valuable work experience. CTC is one of many treasures in Frederick County. It is not only a place of great education and opportunities but also a place of camaraderie and nostalgia.

Want to know more about CTC? Click the links below:

CTC Programs

FAQ's about CTC

What is shadowing?

How do I apply to CTC?

Dual Enrollment Information Sheet

Address: 7922 Opossumtown Pike Frederick, MD 21702

Phone: 227-203-3650

Fax: 227-203-3651

Website: https://ctc.sites.fcps.org/

Facebook: Frederick County Career & Tech Center

X (formerly Twitter): @FrederickCTC, @CTCPrincipal

Instagram: @fcps_ctc, @ctc_principal