BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — At the Kern High School District's Career Technical Education program, the focus isn't just on furthering education but providing skills and experience to break into several industries, or, if you're like recent graduate Daniel Garcia, go into business for yourself.
- Garcia is a recent graduate from Independence High School and the CTEC program. But now, he's also the CEO of his own company, a company that started as an idea his senior year.
- According to the Department of Education, enrollment in Career and Technical Education programs has increased from 18% of students to 23% last year.
At the Kern High School District's Career Technical Education program, the focus isn't just on furthering education but providing skills and experience to break into several industries, or, if you're like recent graduate Daniel Garcia, go into business for yourself.
“This is where everything started,” Garcia said.
Garcia is a recent graduate from Independence High School and the CTEC program. But now, he's also the CEO of his own company, a company that started as an idea his senior year.
"We were tasked to create a Shark Tank-like business and I had a problem. I realized that a big problem is we're stressed out with either school, work, or social media and I wanted to create a company that combats that, so I created Take A Seat Outdoors,” he said.
Going beyond the requirements of the classroom, Garcia created a prototype of his first TASO product: a collapsible, ultra-compact outdoor seat.
But creating a company and product was just the first step.
In fact, Garcia said it was the experience he gained from CTEC — being exposed to networking events and Shark Tank-like finals — that truly helped him now as an entrepreneur.
"I am a little reserved which helped me branch out with my people and business skills,” he said.
His instructor Walter Suazo said Garcia is a great example of what this program is meant to do.
"It's one thing to teach students the basics of marketing, design, and branding. It's another thing to see them take that and do something that is a viable company and a viable product,” he said.
In recent years, California has seen an uptick in interest from students to pursue a more technical education and enter the workforce straight out of high school. According to the Department of Education, enrollment in Career and Technical Education programs has increased from 18% of students to 23% last year.
"So yes, this is an assignment but it also could be a business,” Suazo said. "Hopefully that serves as an inspiration to another person that maybe has had an idea and they don't know how to come about it.”
Students can learn skills to start their own business or find another path in various industries like education and child development, agriculture, engineering, transportation and more.
To support Garcia and his new business, you can check out takeaseatoutdoors.com.
Applications for the Kern High School District CTEC program next year open in November.
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