Mount Diablo Unified School District officials on Oct. 15 highlighted growth in the district’s career and technical education (CTE) programs, credited grant funding for expanded student participation, and invited families to a parent trades night on Nov. 5 at Concord High School.

“Today was a wonderful day,” Heather Fontanilla, lead for the district’s college and career readiness work, told the governing board. She described a career-education fair at Concord High that district staff said now draws participation from nearly 50 industry partners and more than 1,000 students, with bus transportation paid in part by a CTE incentive grant.

Sheila Bergam, who helped organize the fair, said the event grew from a small evening showing to a large, daytime event that now uses the school’s large gym and buses students from across the district. Bergam said the fair has included unions, culinary and medical partners and other industry representatives.

Dylan Woodhall, a College Park High alumnus and second-year apprentice with Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 342, described how the DVC MC3 apprenticeship pathway helped him enter a hands-on trades career. “It changed my life for sure,” Woodhall said, noting MC3 coursework, OSHA-30 certification and reduced coursework in his apprenticeship as benefits of participating in the college pathway.

Mike Marcus, representing the Torlakson Whole Child Institute (an organization founded by former California Superintendent Tom Torlakson that promotes hands-on career exposure), told the board organizers had about 575 preregistered attendees for the Nov. 5 parent night with nine union booths planned and a special women-in-trades area. There is a reception for elected officials and board members at 5 p.m. in the Concord High college-and-career center; the public trades night runs 5:30–7:30 p.m. in the school’s main area and parking lot, and dinner will be provided.

Fontanilla said the district is using middle-school CTE visits and partnerships with union training centers to introduce younger students to career options, with eight middle-school visits reported this year. The district also described plans to expand hands-on programs, to promote multiple pathways including two- and four-year college routes and apprenticeships, and to explore bringing an MC3 program to Mount Diablo Unified.

Board members who attended the fair praised the event’s scale and student engagement. Trustees said they want to expand outreach to younger students and their parents so students know about alternatives to four-year college early in their course-selection process.

District staff encouraged families and students to attend the Nov. 5 parent trades night; organizers said students are welcome to come with their families and that an informational reception for officials will occur at 5 p.m.