Established in 2003, Gateway Community Charters helps students succeed by combining strong academics, career pathways and community-based support for families. Gateway works everyday to prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue next steps and thrive in their next chapter of life. Among Gateway’s schools, Futures High, Community Collaborative Charter School, SAVA-Sacramento Academic & Vocational Academy, SAVA-SCUSD and SAVA-EGUSD offer career technical education (CTE).
“Gateway’s CTE programs provide more than just technical training,” says Ashley Madden, director of college and career readiness. “Our teachers are true mentors, sharing experiences and providing professional and educational guidance unique to every student. They enable students’ individual interests and aptitudes to shine in project choice, team roles and demonstration of skills mastery.”
Programs across all five high schools include food service and hospitality, tourism, fitness and recreation, entrepreneurship, EV automotive maintenance and conversion, agriscience, automotive collision and repair, construction, media arts, game design, TV and broadcasting, education, fashion design and merchandising, manufacturing, patient care, public safety, engineering design and biomedical technology.
“Students come to Gateway to find connection and meaning in their learning.”— Ashley Madden, Director of College and Career Readiness
“Students come to Gateway to find connection and meaning in their learning,” explains Madden. “Our CTE teachers collaborate with each other as a department, with academic teachers and with counselors and coaches to provide cohesion and truly holistic wrap-around support for students.”
Gateway’s CTE programs welcome visitors, as it provides authentic networking for students, and incorporates experiential learning, getting students out in the field, on work sites or job shadows as often as possible to see the skills and concepts they’re learning in action.
“We encourage enrollment in CTE-pathway-aligned college courses, too, so students can see the pathway at the post-secondary level and earn other industry certifications,” says Madden. “We are building internships aligning to every pathway and looking to expand our offerings as more students become interested, recognizing the importance of something tangible on their resume when they leave high school.”
Gateway’s programs provide opportunities for students to explore both workforce and college pathways.
“We offer the flexibility that’s so critical as students find their way to productive and fulfilling lives,” concludes Madden. “Whether it’s an immediate foothold on a career or continuing education, we prepare them for success!”
