Ypsilanti Community High School recently joined the nationally recognized NC3Start certification program for career and technical education (CTE), allowing staff to expand the school’s CTE offerings and emphasize the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) education. School staff and administration hope to provide a wide variety of opportunities for students to explore high-paying careers and achieve trade certifications, setting them up for professional success.

The certification is offered by the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3), a network of education providers and corporations that develops professional certificate programs based on industry needs. YCHS' new status as an NC3Start School means the school can take advantage of professional development opportunities for CTE instructors, unlimited student access to NC3 certifications, and more.

YCHS Principal Dr. Chelsea Harris-Hugan says the school’s NC3Start status, in tandem with its current CTE program offerings for students, bolsters the school’s ongoing commitment to students' success after graduation. By providing a variety of CTE courses, ranging from automotive technology and engineering to nursing and hospitality, she hopes students will find work in lucrative careers. She adds that this uplifts students and their families who may not have had access to those careers otherwise.
courtesy YCHSYCHS Principal Chelsea Harris-Hugan.
"We are creating a space where we can help our students complete these programs and go straight into the workforce and create some generational wealth," Harris-Hugan says. "These are opportunities that our students probably wouldn’t have if we didn’t create them."

Harris-Hugan says she and other school staff frequently speak with students and their families to ensure YCHS' program offerings align with students' interests. She surveyed a number of CTE students about how their CTE studies fit into their future plans. She found that students are excited by the variety of courses at their disposal, and that working with instructors on high-tech programs has helped them find their passions.

"I really like the hands-on nature of the courses, like welding and 3D printing," said one student in an anonymous response. "It’s cool that we get to work with metals and create things."

Harris-Hugan’s survey also found that some students are particularly intrigued by the NC3Start designation's emphasis on trade certification. One student said the certifications they earned throughout their time in CTE programs may bolster their college applications, and potentially turn a post-graduation job into a full-time career.
Doug CoombeThe new YCHS AI learning space.
"These classes really gave me direction for my future," said another anonymous student respondent. "I learned some valuable skills that I think I’ll be able to use in a job directly."

YCHS science teacher and CTE instructor John Kim explains that as a nationally recognized NC3Start school, YCHS students now have better access not only to potential certifications in programs such as automotive technology, manufacturing, and even aerospace engineering, but also a stronger ability to try new things in a low-risk setting.

"There aren’t a lot of 14-year-olds who know exactly what they want to do and never change their mind," Kim says. "We want to provide experiences and opportunities to them to help them find a lifelong career, not something they feel stuck in."

Kim says advances in virtual reality and AI have also allowed him and other YCHS educators to provide hands-on learning experiences without having to invest in specialized, often expensive equipment. Students interested in automotive repair and engineering are able to build and repair virtual machines, while students exploring nursing are able to acquaint themselves with medical procedures and equipment. Student work in digital spaces allows students to explore potential career paths, but may also lead them toward trade certification, helping them to secure employment soon after graduation.
Noah Elliott MorrisonThe new YCHS AI learning space.
"The wide range of CTE programs here offers students multiple career pathways, both in hands-on trades and high-tech fields," Kim says. "We have students that go straight into machinery, but we also have students who are welding or in engineering in both in-person demonstrations and virtual."

These opportunities for hands-on and virtual skill-building also go beyond Kim’s CTE courses. YCHS social studies teacher Joshua Ferguson and math teacher Andrea Stanczyk both say they have used AI in their classrooms, while also having their classes commingle and collaborate with CTE students to further their professional communication skills. Both Stanczyk and Ferguson view AI education as an opportunity to better prepare students for their future beyond high school, whether they end up in their CTE careers or otherwise.

"AI education will equip students with problem-solving skills, data literacy, and automation knowledge, which are essential across all industries," Stanczyk says. "Students benefit from learning how to work with large datasets, use AI-driven tools, and apply machine learning principles, all of which are becoming standard in many industries." 

Rylee Barnsdale is a Michigan native and longtime Washtenaw County resident. She wants to use her journalistic experience from her time at Eastern Michigan University writing for the Eastern Echo to tell the stories of Washtenaw County residents that need to be heard.