The Laredo Independent School District will be hosting its first ever College, Career, and Military Readiness CTE Expo on Wednesday, October 23, for all students and parents in the community from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the LISD PAC. The expo will feature something for everyone, giving students and parents an opportunity to explore the 29 programs of study offered at LISD’s seven specialty schools.
The event is aimed at recruiting students who may be interested in attending any LISD specialty school for the 2025-2026 school year. The seven specialty schools include the Business, Industry, and Public Services Early College Academy at Nixon High School, Sabas Perez Early College High School at Cigarroa High School, Dr. Dennis D. Cantu Health Science Early College High School at Martin High School, Hector J. Garcia Early College High School located at Texas A&M International University, Pathways to Technology Early College High School at Cigarroa High School, Agriculture, Food, & Natural Resources (AFNR) P-TECH at Martin High School, and the Vidal M. Trevino School of Communications and Fine Arts Magnet School.
Attendees will have the opportunity for hands-on activities and interactive demonstrations at every booth exposing students to all areas of interest that the district’s CTE programs have to offer at the seven specialty schools including Law Enforcement, Education, Cosmetology/Barbering, Business, Engineering Design, Robotics, Mobile Application Design, Animation, Game Design, Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Heating/Ventilation/Air-Conditioning (HVAC), Plumbing, Welding, Electrical, and Architecture, Floral Design, Veterinary Assistant, and Applied Agricultural Engineering (welding and Woodwork).
“We want our students to explore all of our skilled-trade, high-tech courses, and certifications available through our CTE programs,” said Cindy Dominguez, LISD Director of Guidance and Counseling. “Our goal is to raise awareness about high demand career paths and internships that are offered at Laredo ISD in partnership with our industry partners.”
The community will have the opportunity to visit with students, counselors, and administrators from the specialty schools who will share their experiences and answer any questions concerning the admissions and application process with prospective students. Each program is unique and will provide students with the skills and experience essential towards certifications and career paths.
The event is open to the public at no charge. LISD and their CTE programs encourage anyone interested in a skilled or technical pathway and career to attend.
Also, the CTE leadership team has arranged for all LISD fifth-grade students to be bussed to the CTE Expo for an Elementary Career Exploration experience they won’t forget. The students will witness first hand many of the skilled-trade and high-tech courses that are available through LISD’s specialty school classes. In addition. many hands-on interactive trades and technology will be showcased at the event. High School CTE specialists will be on hand to answer student questions about possible career pathways available from seventh grade through high school graduation and beyond.
“Students can not only earn an associate’s degree, a certificate from Laredo College, or an industry-based certification, but they also gain hands-on experience through internships with our local business partners,” said Oscar Ramirez, LISD Career and Technical Education Coordinator. “In partnership with the Texas Workforce, Laredo College, and industry partners, we offer classes designed to fill specialized high-demand jobs, such as construction managers, CDL drivers, sports officials, HVAC technicians, and patient care technicians.”
The CTE leadership team has also organized a lunch meeting for all CTE Advisory Committee members and faculty who attend and participate in the Expo. Many local businesses have contributed to the CTE Expo as they firmly believe in the value these school courses have in preparing students for future skilled and technical careers. During the meeting discussions on industry needs, promotion of CTE courses, and industry-based and level I and Level II certifications will be discussed.
For more information, please contact LISD CTE Coordinator Oscar Ramirez at 956-273-1862.