Building Futures: Queen Creek High School CTE Construction Students Gain Hands-On Experiences

At Queen Creek High School (QCHS), career and technical education (CTE) programs provide students with valuable hands-on experience that gives them a head start on future careers. Junior Adelina Padilla is one such student who has found passion and purpose in the construction CTE program.

Adelina initially decided to take the class because her golf coach, Donald Gordon, was the instructor, making it an easy choice. However, she quickly realized how beneficial the skills she was learning would be for her future. With future career goals in real estate and interior design, she sees the construction program as a foundation for understanding home improvement and renovation.

In the class, Adelina and her peers take on dozens of projects, a few highlights being building benches and cornhole boards. Through these hands-on assignments, she has learned to use essential tools such as drills, table saws, and sanders. Beyond technical skills, she has also gained problem-solving abilities and teamwork experience, which she believes will be invaluable in any career path.

“For me, construction is just a good thing to know,” Adelina shared. “My parents don’t know how to build, so they’re always asking me to help. I’ve learned a lot about working together, and I love that we spend more time building instead of just sitting at a desk.”

Her advice to future students? Take the class and enjoy it. “CTE is helping me build my future,” she said.

QCHS’s construction CTE program exemplifies how hands-on learning can spark career interests, teach life skills, and prepare students for success beyond high school. Is your student interested in CTE classes? Come see all that QCUSD has to offer and enroll in your future today. 

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