Career and Technical Education (CTE) enrollment in Maine has increased more than 20% over the last 6 years, according to the state Department of Education.
CTE administrators said these programs help high school graduates find jobs in the local economy.
Mercedes Pour with the Maine Community College system, said CTE students can also continue their education after graduation.
"That's what I love about it, is they can start in their CTE and go into the workforce or they can start in their CTE and say 'I want to pursue this' and come to us for a year," Pour said.
CTE programs allow students to begin learning trades such as welding, engineering, or cosmetology in high school, preparing students to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation.
Denali Turbide, a Junior Mass Media student at the Mid-Maine Technical Center, wants to be a filmmaker and said the technical center has provided him with opportunities he wouldn't have otherwise.
"We learn to film. We get a lot of camera access, like really expensive cameras which we are very lucky to have," Turbide said.
The state said there are more than 10,000 students enrolled in the 27 Career and Technical Education programs.
