The Roanoke Bridge to Employment (BTE) partnership was an integral part of the Blue Ridge Technical Academy's (BRTA) curriculum. The BRTA is an employer-linked, public charter school offering 10th-12th grade students applied curriculum taught largely through a problem-based approach. To help focus students' future employment goals, students are required to engage in one of five career paths offered at BRTA: Health and Medical Science, Manufacturing Technology, Information Technology, E-Commerce, and Fiber Optics.
The BTE program was designed to provide opportunities for young people to obtain education and training needed to pursue health care careers by:
- Providing students access to a state of the art BTE-funded science lab at BRTA;
- Establishing relationships with local colleges to secure dual enrollment for future BRTA students;
- Exposing 10th-12th graders at BRTA to a range of health industry occupations in the Roanoke area and beyond;
- Equipping 10th-12th graders at BRTA with appropriate employability skills and provide them with the requisite licensure or credentials to enter into health-related careers;
- Developing up-to-date curriculum and learning/teaching materials, including assessment tools and portfolios;
- Improving professional development for teachers through in-service sessions and externships in the private sector; and
- Providing community service and/or work-based learning opportunities for 10th-12th grade BRTA students.
