The Tyler ISD Career & Technology Center (CTC) is celebrating its 10th anniversary by highlighting a decade of strong community partnerships that continue to expand opportunities for students and strengthen the local workforce pipeline.
For ten years, the CTC has built strategic collaborations with business and industry leaders to provide hands-on training, internships, job shadowing, industry tours, guest speakers, advisory support, and real-world projects that align classroom instruction with workforce expectations. These partnerships ensure students graduate with industry knowledge, professional skills, certifications, and meaningful career connections.
“The strength of our Career & Technology programs is rooted in the partnerships we’ve cultivated throughout our community,” Executive Director of College and Career, Dr. Kristen Walls, said. “These businesses don’t just support our students — they invest in them. By opening their doors, sharing expertise, and providing real-world experiences, they are helping us build a direct pipeline from classroom to career.”
From healthcare and manufacturing to finance, construction, cosmetology, marketing, and law enforcement, CTC partners play an essential role in major initiatives such as the Opportunity Fair, Pathways to Professions, resume workshops, mock interviews, engineering challenges, and career exploration events. Students benefit from live industry training, networking opportunities with hiring managers, internship placements, facility tours, and access to entry-level career pathways before graduation.
Recent collaborations include engineering challenges and facility tours that highlight advanced manufacturing and technology, construction site visits with networking opportunities alongside hiring managers, and live salon training and career mentorship for Cosmetology students. Students also benefit from internship placements across multiple industries, financial literacy and resume-building workshops, and healthcare job shadowing experiences with hospital orientations.
Additionally, the CTC launched Texas’ first high school Basic County Corrections Course in partnership with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, allowing students to earn industry-recognized licensure before graduation and opening the door to a career upon graduation.
“Our goal is to ensure students leave the CTC not only career-ready, but confident and connected,” CTE Work-Based Learning Coordinator Jessica Brown said. “Through internships, mock interviews, guest speakers, and hands-on experiences, our partners give students a true understanding of what it takes to succeed in their chosen field.”
CTC proudly partners with the Tyler Area Business Education Council, Trane Technologies, LTS Material Handling, Hoar Construction, Hood Packaging, UBank, Your Stand Out Brand, CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System, Southside Bank, Great Clips, and the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, while also collaborating with many additional businesses, organizations, and industry professionals who generously contribute their time, expertise, and resources each year. Together, these partnerships have helped define the first decade of the CTC’s success and will continue to drive innovation and opportunity for years to come.
Through these dynamic relationships, Tyler ISD CTC continues to bridge the gap between education and industry — preparing students not just for graduation, but for lifelong success.
For more information, contact Jennifer Hines at Jennifer.Hines@TylerISD.org.