College of Eastern Idaho highlights Career and Technical Education Month
Maile Sipraseuth
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)— February is Career and Technical Education Month, a nationwide celebration highlighting the power of hands-on learning to prepare students for high-wage, high-skill and in-demand careers.
At College of Eastern Idaho, more than 20 CTE programs are helping students gain practical experience while meeting the workforce needs of eastern Idaho.
“It really kind of builds off of some of the academics. But really, what makes it unique is that it is applied hands on learning,” said Matthew Taylor, dean of Health Sciences.
According to ACTE, 71% of Idaho technical college completers obtained employment related to their CTE training.
“When you really look at both local and national trends, they’re both pretty similar,” Taylor said. “And what people want, meaning both students and employers, is they want job-ready applicants. So a student wants to go through a training that gives them the skills, ability and knowledge to go into the job field. And employers want to hire people who are prepared in that way. And so really, CTE programs are well positioned and they’re designed to deliver those things.”
CEI offers programs across trades, technology, healthcare, and business: Automotive Technology, Heavy-Duty Diesel, Welding Technology, Energy Systems Technology, Mechatronics, Cybersecurity, Information Technology Services, Business Management, Legal Studies & Paralegal, Digital Media Specialist, and a wide range of healthcare pathways. CEI’s new Dental Hygiene program is also scheduled to begin enrolling students for Fall 2026.
Their most enrolled program is their nursing program.
“Health sciences and healthcare fields are always going to have really high enrollment,” Taylor said. “Our nursing program is continuously full and at capacity. Students really like that, and other fields such as welding or the auto tech programs are also seeing a lot of demand.”
For more information on their programs, visit https://www.cei.edu/academic-programs.