UNM‑Gallup CCTE Highlights Fall 2025 Hands-On Training, Community Partnerships

UNM-Gallup’s Center for Career & Technical Education (CCTE) provided fall 2025 students with hands-on training that tied classroom learning to McKinley County workplaces, strengthening local career pathways and community emergency readiness. Fire science and culinary programs were highlighted for practical experience that prepares students for jobs while addressing public safety and economic barriers.

Fire science students took part in simulated burn demonstrations at the McKinley County Fire Office, practicing turnout in full gear and exposure to realistic heat conditions. Those exercises deliver more than technical skill; they build situational awareness and physical readiness that matter for rural emergency response. In communities where volunteer and small-department staffing are common, better-trained local responders can reduce response times, limit injury and lower the strain on regional healthcare facilities after fires and related incidents.

Culinary students completed practical coursework in Miyamura High School kitchens, translating food safety, prep and service skills into employability in local restaurants, schools and food service operations. Practical culinary training supports workforce entry and local food systems, offering pathways for students who may prioritize immediate employment or apprenticeships over four-year college. For families facing economic pressure in McKinley County, paid and practical programs create routes to stable income without moving away.

The program recap emphasized partnerships that helped pay some students through America’s Job Center and noted steps to expand paid opportunities via WIOA Youth programs. Expanding paid internships and work experiences addresses a key equity issue: low-income youth often cannot take unpaid internships while supporting families. Locally funded and federally supported work programs can lower barriers to entry for training, improve completion rates and help diversify the pipeline into skilled trades and public safety roles.

CCTE leadership also acknowledged returning instructors and signaled plans to continue and grow collaborations with county agencies, high schools and workforce centers to expand career pathways. Sustaining instructors with local ties boosts program continuity and mentorship, which research links to better student retention and job placement in rural areas.

For McKinley County residents, the CCTE’s fall work means more locally trained talent in first response, food services and other essential jobs, with a particular emphasis on equity and paid access. As CCTE pursues broader WIOA Youth engagement and community partnerships, expect more opportunities that keep training, pay and career growth rooted in Gallup and surrounding communities.