CRTC Career Communications

A Different Kind of English Class for Career-Minded Students



An angry customer calls up complaining that the newly installed dimmer switches are making his LED bulbs flicker every time he turns them on. “What kind of electrician are you,” the customer bellows, “you can’t even install light switches correctly!”


CRTC Career Communications English teacher Elizabeth York then steps up to the group of three Construction Trades students and asks: “Your customer is not happy - now how do we come up with an equitable solution?”


This customer-relations scenario is part of a role playing exercise being conducted in the CRTC Career Communications classroom as a lesson to develop strategies on how to deal with difficult customers. The CRTC’s own high school English class was developed five years ago by Director Steven Rothenberg and longtime English teacher Elizabeth York as a way to combine the career-focused education students get in their CRTC programs with the communications skills they’ll need on the job.


“Students taking this class engage with authentic workplace texts, and consider skills in the context of real-world scenarios they might face in the workplace,” Ms. York said. “They’ll learn about collaborating with coworkers and stakeholders, and developing strategies for communicating clearly and effectively.”


CRTC students are eligible to enroll in the CRTC Career Communication course after their first semester with us and can earn a half credit for the basic course, or a full high school English credit by adding an ELO element to the class where they can self-design a program of study with more extensive job shadows and worksite visitations.


CRTC Career Communications provides students with a window into the work world, and helps them to gain confidence in their writing and speaking abilities before they move on into college and careers, Ms. York added. “It’s really rewarding to see them have skills they can apply immediately.”


Concord High School senior Hayden Lamoureaux agrees. He said he decided it would be a good idea to enroll in CRTC Career Communications after hearing Ms. York pitch the program to his Construction Trades class.


“What I like about this class is that it targets writing and speaking skills to the specific career path we’re following,” said Lamoureux, who wants to be an electrician. “It’s awesome that the lessons we’re learning in CRTC English class today are directly related to the kinds of things we’ll be doing out in the field after we graduate."


Sending school students who want to enroll in the CRTC Career Communications class should email Ms. York at eyork@sau8.org or Ms. Vessels in the CRTC office at lvessels@sau8.org


Concord High School students should select Career Communications (CRTC/ELO Optional), CT8015 and then select CRTC English -The Classroom Experience for .5 English credit, or Independent Study/ELO for one full English credit.


Click Here for more information on CRTC Career Communications


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