As of 2007, Utah has pushed Career and Technical Education to the front of public schooling. High schools were encouraged to host CTE clubs such as HOSA and TSA as a part of the initiative and began to require CTE classes to graduate.

Bingham is a host to many unique opportunities to fulfill those required credits. We have a fully-functional automotive garage for Auto Repair, a daycare filled with adorable preschoolers for Child Education, and even a stocked kitchen and diner for ProStart chefs. These classes are great for people who have their careers already in mind, but what about the rest of us?

In recent years, Bingham has begun adding new CTE classes directed more towards the artistic and the sporty students. Architecture is one of the newer classes, with Shawn Jensen as the teacher. Students build homes on computer software, and can 3D print their end results. The 3D printer isn’t reserved just for projects, though; as long as you’re willing to pay for the plastic, and have put in enough work, the printer is open to all.

For those artists who are trying to find out how to apply their skills to a career, Bingham now offers both 3D Animation and 3D Graphics, both taught by Rebecca Rigby. With these classes, students learn how to model objects on the computer using the same software as industry professionals. The classes work together to create projects: the graphics students create the models, add color, then send them to the animation kids. They also make use of the 3D printers at the end of the semester. Though it sounds like an art class, Rigby says that some of her best students have come from no artistic background. “They come in not knowing what they’re doing, and they leave wanting to animate as their career.”

Not all creativity has to be funneled into traditionally artistic classes, though. Classes such as Interior Design and Fashion Design, both taught by Hilary Hanseen, show careers that need creativity without all the painting. For those who stay away from fashion design because drawing people is impossible, fear not. “We have templates that you can trace over,” Hanseen said. Rather, students can focus on improving designs.

Teenagers who want sports to become their career might struggle to find CTE classes that interest them. Two classes offered specifically for these kids: Sports Design and Sports Marketing. In Sports Design, athletes and clothing designers combine talents to create usable athletic wear. Learn how to make joggers, team hoodies, and athletic backpacks. There’s also a small section dedicated to learning repairs for special fabrics that are typically used in sports. Higher levels of the class begin to learn how to design the clothes and focus on the athleisure market.  Ms. Bartlett is over the class and encourages anyone who wants to learn sewing to join.

Sports Marketing, on the other hand, teaches one what they must do to become a team manager. Team advertising, activity coordinating, and money management are all emphasized. This type of knowledge can make an athlete invaluable to prospective coaches and can open up doors to careers in sports after an athlete is too old to continue to play.

Sometimes, you just need that Foods class to make it through the week. Who’s opposed to learning how to make cheap and easy cookies, then getting to taste-test them? The purpose of CTE classes, though, is to open students’ eyes to careers they haven’t thought of or give unique training to further their own interests. They give assignments that mimic real-world professional requests to teach students what that career might be like. Now is the time to experiment with your interests, see what can become a career, and what you can’t stand.