Silicon Valley Career Technical Education (SVCTE) is a vocational school (trade school), which means it is not like a typical high school.

SVCTE does not offer regular classes like English and Math, but instead, it offers classes on possible careers you can have, like Construction, Nursing, or Emergency Services. 

Gunderson students can attend SVCTE during their junior and senior years. Currently, one class at SVCTE takes up 2 Gunderson class times. You can attend the AM class that’s 7:30-10:30 or the PM class from 12:35-3:35.

SVCTE is not in our district either. It consists of schools from 12 different districts, which means that their class and break schedules are different from Gunderson’s.

A big reason a lot of students take classes at SVCTE is that it helps prepare them for a future career, and sometimes even a job right out of high school.

Jazmin Cano Ambriz, a senior at Gunderson, attends SVCTE for a medical assisting class. 

In this class, Ambriz has learned about CPR, how to check vitals like blood pressure and pulse, and how to use an AED. An AED is a tool used in the medical field to help shock patients that are in cardiac arrest.

Medical Assisting is not just a textbook class. They also have a lot of hands-on learning in and out of the classroom. 

“We always start with 20-25 minutes of practicing vitals with 4 students in our class. Before starting, we sanitize our equipment and make sure it works properly,” Ambriz said.

“There are times where if we don’t practice on one another we take different classes vitals.”

There are plenty of other hands-on classes at SVCTE. Joel Reyes is a senior at Evergreen High School and he attends a class for HVAC.

HVAC stands for Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning. The class learns about heating and cooling in refrigeration, as well as how to fix a furnace, and much more.

Reyes already has a plan to get a job in HVAC. Through the class, he has learned about possible apprenticeships, as well as Silicon Valley Mechanical, a company that is willing to hire him since he is doing well in the class.

The HVAC class also has a special program where instead of going to class, he can work a job. By going through a special procedure with the teacher of his class, his timecard can count as class time, so he can work instead of going to school. 

Another popular class to attend at SVCTE is Culinary Arts. Culinary is a program where students learn how to cook, clean, do hospitality, and cater in a professional workplace. 

There is an on-campus restaurant, called The Hub, in which culinary students cook and sell food to the rest of the students and staff on campus. They are open Tuesdays through Thursdays.

Precious Montalban, a junior from Santa Clara High School, is a student in Culinary Arts. 

Montalban’s day starts with a simple warm-up, then straight to the kitchen. Since day one, she’s learned how to properly wash her hands and her station, as well as cook, clean, and serve customers.

By taking Culinary classes at SVCTE, Montalban has already put herself ahead of her competition when it comes to a career. She is interested in being a chef when she is older, and by taking Culinary now she already has credits at Mission College.

SVCTE offers a lot of certifications through the class that can be used in an actual job, not just in school.

Ambriz has also taken SVCTE in her junior year, but she took Dental Assisting. There she earned four different certificates, including a “Dental Assistant Completion”, “Law and Ethics Certificate”, “Infection Control Certificate”, and “X-Ray Certificate”.

Reyes also has a certification for HVAC. It’s called “EPA 608 Certification”, and it allows Reyes to legally work in the HVAC industry.

Montalban also has a certification. It’s called a “California Food Handler’s Card” and it proves that she took a course on food safety, and can legally serve and sell food to others.

Overall, SVCTE is a great opportunity for students looking to go into a trade job. If you are interested in taking a class at SVCTE,  please meet with your counselor when it comes time to pick your classes for next year.