Pima Joint Technical Education Department (JTED) is not your parent’s shop class. It is a unique school district that promotes 21st-century, skills-based education through partnerships with public entities, private industry and philanthropy.
The phenomenon — which serves high school students from public, private, charter and home schools and is usually tuition-free — will be on display during the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Pima JTED Industrial Technologies Addition @ The Bridges at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 2 at 3300 S. Park Ave.
The ceremony will highlight the Shirley Dail Construction Classroom and Lab presented by the Cornerstone Building Foundation. The classrooms and labs are part of the JTED Innovative Learning Center at the Bridges and will provide cutting-edge equipment for Construction Technologies and Welding programs as well as Engineering and Robotics programs.
“The immense community support for the Pima JTED Innovative Learning Center at the Bridges campus is indicative of the value that the community places on public career and technical education and the opportunities that it provides our youth. We want people to understand that there are many opportunities if they want to become involved. We also want students from every high school to know that these facilities and programs are here for them and we hope they take advantage of them,” said Kathy Prather, CEO and Superintendent of Pima JTED.
The Bridges campus includes not only the Innovative Learning Center, but also Innovation Tech High School and the 55,000-square-foot Mel and Enid Zuckerman Center for Health and Medical Careers, which is slated to open on July 1. The Center for Health and Medical Careers will also house the Potoff Private Philanthropy Veterinary Sciences Center and the Connie Hillman Family Foundation Health and Wellness Center.
Pima JTED offers 31 different career ad technical education programs, including health and veterinary care; computers and technology; culinary arts; heavy equipment operations and industrial trades; first responders and much more.
The entire Bridges campus is the result of more than $18 million in donations from philanthropists, private investors and government entities, according to Prather. The philanthropists range from large foundations such as the Thomas R. Brown Private Family Foundation and Cornerstone Building Foundation Charities to individual businesses and donors.
Prather also credits Potoff Private Philanthropy, the Connie Hillman Family Foundation, the Mel and Enid Zuckerman Family, Jim Click, Banner Health, Tucson Medical Center, Garry Brav and Don Bourn for being at the philanthropic forefront. Additionally, Rotary Club of Tucson has been a supporter, and Congressman Juan Ciscomani and Senator Mark Kelly have assisted with attaining $5.7 million in funding for JTED @ Bridges.
“Over the past few years we have received substantial donations that have allowed us to serve additional students. We don’t want to compete with school districts for bonds and overrides, so we are doing everything through public-private partnerships and paying for the buildings as we go to reduce the burden on local taxpayers. It is an unusual way to approach things, but it has worked,” said Prather.
During the coming year, Pima JTED programs will serve more than 3,000 students through “central campus programs” during the day, after school and in the evenings. An additional 26,000 students will participate in satellite programs at member school districts. Satellite programs include Automotive Technology at Tucson High; Construction Technology at Cienega High School; Theatre Stagecraft at Catalina Foothills High School; Manufacturing at Desert View High School and many more.
“We are a reflection of what the community has wanted and continues to want with alternatives in education and a public school experience focused on career and technical education. With all of our programs, the angle is to provide a certificate, industry credential or license that is nationally recognized. We want students to earn credentials that can take them to the next step, whatever that might be. Many of our programs offer dual college credit at no charge,” said Prather.
Ultimately, Prather said these opportunities for young people have a real impact, boosting workforce development and economic prosperity for the entire community.
She hope to continue to engage the public and promote opportunities for involvement with Pima JTED (pimajted.org), including donations to the Arizona Public School Tax Credit, which allows an annual credit of $400 on Arizona income taxes for married couples filing jointly or $200 for single filers. Donors can also support the affiliated nonprofit Pima JTED Foundation (https://www.pimajted.foundation/), which provides scholarships, assistance with work-related uniforms, supplies and program fees, and a range of other support for students.
