Manatee County spotlights career and technical pathways, robotic surgery simulators and industry certifications

The Manatee County School Board on Feb. 10 heard a district presentation celebrating Career & Technical Education (CTE) month and detailing expanded pathways that leaders say are moving more students quickly into credentialed jobs.

Doctor Gansamer, the district’s career-and-technical director, told trustees the district partners with industry and the state’s master credentials list to identify certifications students can earn in high school and postsecondary programs. “If the industry wants a certification on the list, we team up to submit it to the state,” he said, adding that the list changes annually and the district adjusts programming and teacher supports accordingly.

The board saw examples from the middle- and high-school levels. Christa Cummings said Lincoln Memorial Middle School’s health-science magnet gives sixth- through eighth-grade students hands-on practice — from anatomy labs to operating a scaled DaVinci surgical simulator at Manatee Memorial Hospital. “Students actually learned to operate the robot by looking at a TV screen,” Cummings said. The district purchased Anatomage anatomy tables and other equipment using referendum funds, she added.

Pam Ron, a HOSA adviser at Nolan Middle School, described students’ competitive track record: regional, state and international contests that she said reinforce classroom standards and create a pipeline to health-care careers. Peter Bavaro, a college-and-career adviser, described a Lakewood Ranch High ‘college and career corner’ and employer outreach that includes on-site interviews with large local employers.

District officials provided enrollment and credentialing figures: the Manatee Medical Academy offers seven nationally recognized health-care certifications across more than eight courses, with more than 200 students enrolled; more than a dozen students earned certifications in December and about 20 seniors are anticipated to graduate this spring with industry credentials that district staff said can lead directly to paid work.

Board members praised the district’s partnerships and urged staff to make clear to families the role referendum funds and local partnerships play in buying equipment and arranging employer connections. The board also encouraged staff to continue public outreach about CTE opportunities as the district finalizes articulation agreements with Manatee Technical College and other postsecondary providers.

The board did not take formal action on program funding at the Feb. 10 meeting; presenters said they would continue to share program details and data in future briefings.