Brevard schools highlight career-technical programs and employer hiring pipelines

Instructors, students and local employers told the Brevard Public Schools board on June 24 that the district’s Career and Technical Education programs are producing directly employable graduates and industry certifications.

District and industry speakers described Project SEARCH at Health First, Cocoa High School’s auto‑body program, Bayside High School’s machining shop, and the Eau Gallie aviation program as pathways that put students into jobs at local firms including Gator Chrysler, SAFE Manufacturers, L3Harris and aerospace employers such as Blue Origin and SpaceX.

The board heard why the programs matter: students can gain workplace experience, industry credentials and, in several cases, paid employment before or immediately after graduation. Linda Shookert, a Project SEARCH instructor, said of students in that program, “They just all have potential, and it’s just amazing to see the growth and the opportunity that they get here to succeed and work within their community.”

Project SEARCH partnership Project SEARCH at Health First identifies candidates recommended by teachers and trainers, interviews them and places students into year‑long internships that follow the school calendar. A speaker described a practice of hiring strong candidates “in the middle of the year” and providing six months of post‑hire follow‑up to ensure a stable transition to independence.

Auto collision and machining programs At Cocoa Junior‑Senior High School, instructors emphasized that the auto collision program has an industry‑grade paint booth and that students leave ready for local dealerships or independent shops. Chris Riesch, collision shop manager at Gator Chrysler in Melbourne, said the industry “desperately needs the younger generation” and called collision repair “a good long term industry.” Patton Franklin Wythe, the Cocoa instructor, said many students become ASC‑qualified and “are usually hired right out of high school.”

At Bayside High School, machining instructor Chris Sieves described hands‑on training on engine lathes, manual mills and CNCs; he said the program issues NIMS certifications recognized nationally. Operations manager Joey Sesta of SAFE Manufacturers said his company hires program graduates and that internships and pre‑apprenticeship connections help students secure jobs immediately after graduation.

Aviation and aerospace pipelines The Eau Gallie (also referenced in the transcript as O'Gallie/Eau Gallie) aviation program prepares students for work at local aerospace companies. A speaker listed employers who hire graduates — Blue Origin, SpaceX, United Launch Systems, L3Harris, Collins, Embraer and Piper — and said “a majority of our kids go directly onto a job with one of our aerospace companies.” Graduate Hector Diaz told the board he now works at Blue Origin and credited the program and instructor Bill McGinnish for hands‑on training that led to his job.

Expanded postsecondary advising: Elevate Brevard and COCO Champions Denise Stewart, principal of Cocoa High School, said the district has worked with Elevate Brevard to provide structured postsecondary planning so every student leaves school with a plan. Hillary Poole of Brevard Public Schools student services said Elevate Brevard conducted a needs assessment and designed deliberate incentives and tracking to increase student engagement in planning activities. Several students who participated in the COCO Champions program told the board the experience helped with FAFSA completion, interviews and resume building.

Why it matters Speakers emphasized that not every student needs to attend a four‑year college to access stable, well‑paying local careers; industry credentials and employer connections can lead directly to employment. District and industry representatives framed the CTE offerings as labor‑market responses: training students for work that local manufacturers and service providers say they need.

Looking ahead District leaders and industry partners encouraged continuing the employer partnerships, internship placements and certification pathways that connect classroom training with local hiring. Several speakers asked the board to sustain support for CTE staffing, equipment and employer engagement so that these programs can continue to move students into local jobs and apprenticeships.