CAREER TECHNICAL STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS (CTSO) 

WHAT IS A CTSO?

Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO) play an integral role in preparing students to become college and career ready members of society who hold productive leadership roles in their communities. CTSOs provide motivation, leadership training, and career development opportunities for students enrolled in Career, Technical and Agricultural Education programs in middle and high schools and enhance their occupational, employability and leadership skills through various activities such as conferences, award programs, service projects, and competitive events. These organizations conduct activities and events at the local, state and national levels in which students can participate and compete. CTSOs are committed to the growth of students in all CTAE career pathways.

CTSO Core Values

•  Commitment – To create among members, educators and business and industry an adherence and appreciation for all Career, Technical and Agricultural Education Program

•  Conviction – To develop patriotism through knowledge of our nation’s heritage and practice of democracy

•  Education – To create enthusiasm and empower students to become lifelong learners.

•  Integrity – To deal honestly and fairly with one another.

•  Leadership – To develop leadership abilities through participation in educational, professional, community and social activities.

•  Professionalism – To promote high standards in career ethics, workmanship, scholarship and safety.

•  Recognition – Appreciation of the value of achievement.

•  Service – To cultivate a desire to contribute to the benefit and welfare of others

•  Teamwork – To enhance the ability of students to plan together, organize and carry out worthy activities and projects through the use of the democratic process.

GEORGIA CTSOs

DECA

DECA is specifically designed to provide activities for students to learn marketing, management, and entrepreneurial skills that will prepare them to pursue a career in the field of marketing. DECA members become more aware of the value of community service; participate in a local, state, and national competitive events program that showcases student skills and allows for interaction with the business community; further develop occupational skills needed for careers in marketing, management, and entrepreneurship; serve in leadership roles; and develop a greater understanding of our competitive, free-enterprise system and an appreciation of the responsibilities of citizenship.

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) is a student organization for all middle and high school students participating in business programs. As an integral part of the business instructional program, FBLA provides opportunities for students to develop vocational and career-supportive competencies. Participation in FBLA activities promotes civic and personal responsibility; helps students develop business leadership skills and establish career goals; and prepares them for useful citizenship and productive careers.

Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA)

Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is a national student organization that helps young men and women become leaders and address important personal, family, work, and social issues through family and consumer sciences education. Through cooperative and competitive programs, FCCLA members develop skills for life including character development, creative and critical thinking, interpersonal communication, practical knowledge, and career preparation. Participation in national programs and co-curricular chapter activities enables FCCLA members to learn cooperation, take responsibility, develop leadership, and give service.

Georgia SkillsUSA

Georgia SkillsUSA members participate in local, state, and national activities provided through trade and industrial, technical, and health occupations courses and programs. The mission of SkillsUSA is to develop leadership skills and workplace competencies that students will need to success in a constantly changing global workplace. The organization provides many opportunities for leadership development and skills training. Competition in over 70 leadership, health occupations, occupationally related, and trade, industrial, and technical contests is offered at the region and state levels, culminating with the SkillsUSA Championships in Kansas City, Missouri, in June.

Georgia Technology Student Association (GA TSA)

Georgia Technology Student Association (GA TSA) is committed to providing students with opportunities to excel and advance as part of their instruction in technology education. Georgia TSA promotes technology education as a means of preparing students for a dynamic world, inviting them to become critical thinkers, problem solvers, and technologically literate leaders. The mission of GA TSA is to prepare its members to be successful leaders and responsible citizens in a technological society through co-curricular activities with the technology education program, thereby developing communication, leadership, and competitive skills.

Career and Technical Instruction (CTI)

The Career and Technical Instruction program is designed to support students with disabilities enrolled in Career, Technical and Agricultural Education classes. The CTI program provides students with disabilities at the secondary level entry-level job skills in broad or specific occupation clusters. CTI offers a Fall Leadership Conference that focuses on students with disabilities in CTAE classes in high schools throughout Georgia. The purpose of the program is to reward students showing the greatest improvement in career and work adjustment skills, and to recognize the achievement of these students in their career, technical and agricultural programs.

Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA)

The mission of HOSA is: To enhance the delivery of compassionate, quality health care by providing opportunities for knowledge, skill and leadership development of all health occupations students, therefore, helping the students to meet the needs of the health care community.

Future Farmers of America (FFA)

The FFA is an integral component of the agricultural education program. It is the student development and leadership application piece for agricultural education. The FFA offers a variety of experiential learning opportunities through competitive proficiency awards and career development events. Competitions focus on leadership and public speaking; communications, agriscience and biotechnology, as well as production agriculture. Agricultural education teachers and FFA advisors stress problem solving and decision making; and uses a learning by doing method. By applying a science based curriculum learned in a classroom to real life projects, teamwork, and competition; FFA members develop into successful, productive citizens. The strength of the FFA and agricultural education lies in the dedication of the teachers; whose philosophy is, “We don’t just teach agriculture, we teach students!”

First Robotics

For more information about Georgia Career Technical School Organizations, please click here.

CTSO FRAMEWORK

Career and Technical Student Organizations are valuable tools for implementing technical and academic standards found in Georgia’s curriculum. CTSOs are co-curricular – not extracurricular. Although related to a particular career, extracurricular activities take place outside of the program of instruction. They are not part of a planned instructional program and are not incorporated into a lesson plan or curriculum. Co-curricular activities are incorporated into the instruction program and receive instructional time within the classroom. CTSOs are considered a necessary part of the student’s education – not a social outlet. CTSOs provide a structure that promotes hands-on, project-based learning of the program curriculum which allows students to see the real world application of their academic studies. CTSOs emphasize leadership development. The recognition of work experience programs, structured learning experiences,  and entrepreneurship projects enhance the standards taught in the classroom and prepare students to be college and career ready. The diagram located below illustrates how the instructional program consists of three overlapping parts: classroom instruction, hands-on lab activities, and CTSO activities. Each element of the diagram is a distinct part of the CTAE division but they are so fully intertwined that they cannot be fully separated if a complete program is to be offered.

CTSOs BY SCHOOL

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