PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia Beach City Public Schools wants families to know about the opportunities in their Career and Technical Education programs since college may not always be the right option for every student after graduating high school.

Director of Technical & Career Education at Virginia Beach City Public Schools, Dr. Sara Lockett, says they’ve seen an increase over the years of applications to the program.

“Globally and nationally that is changing. The idea of how students choose their pathway and they have great opportunities,” she said.

The district provides a number of programs through its centers and high school programs. Some programs include IT, architecture, engineering, nursing, and many more.

“Not only do they get access to hands-on instruction every day, we have great community partners that work with them both in their schools and out in the community. And students also have access to nationally and internationally known industry credential tests that they can take free of charge,” said Dr. Lockett.

To learn more about the programs and how to enroll, head here.