Career and Education Consortium
The Careeer and Education Consortium (CEC), formerly known as PEER coordinates ongoing collaboration between Tyler, public school divisions, employers, universities, state and local government and the community-at-large to offer high-quality academic programs and career preparation for all students in the region. CEC serves the counties of Amelia, Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Prince George, Surry and Sussex and the cities of Colonial Heights, Hopewell and Petersburg.
CEC supports programming for K-12 students to explore in-demand careers and generates further investigation, especially in the fields of science, technology (manufacturing, trades and information technology), engineering, mathematics and health care. Regional and local programs include career fairs, work-site trips, competitions, camps, work skills training, Career and Technical Education (CTE) awards and the CEC Student Scholarship.
CEC and Tyler have partnered to provide Career Coach Online, a free tool for students to complete interest assessments and research related in-demand occupations and educational opportunities.
College and Career Pathways
CEC provides regional leadership to curriculum restructuring initiatives at the secondary and collegiate levels.
CEC develops Career Pathways for each school division that begin in middle school and continue through postsecondary education and training. These feature Career and Technical Education courses, career investigation and coaching, work-based learning and college credit earned through:
- Dual Enrollment
- Concurrent Enrollment Programs on campus at Tyler: Machining, Welding, HVAC, Industrial Electricity, Mechanical Maintenance, Early Childhood
- Advanced Placement tests
- Industry assessments
Professional Development
The CEC sponsors and supports professional development for educators through:
- Career counseling workshops
- Industry training
- Professional conferences
- Graduate tuition scholarships
- Stipends for externships and site visits
- Provisional CTE Teacher Registered Apprenticeships – PEER and Tyler have developed and received approval from the Virginia Department of Education to pilot this program for the Commonwealth of Virginia - Available in fall 2020.
Connection with the Business Community
CEC facilitates regional and local alliances with area businesses to prepare the next generation workforce. Employers are also able to initiate a connection with CEC through the Connect With Us form.