Last month Gorham’s own Jackson Lavertu, a junior at Gorham High School, addressed educators, legislators and students in the Hall of Flags at our state’s Capitol Building in Augusta. A second-year student with the Building Trades program at Westbrook Regional Vocational Technical Institute, Lavertu was selected as one of two student speakers statewide to share his perspective on the value and impact of Career and Technical Education (CTE).

He was poised as he shared that through his time at WRVC he has “learned the importance of work ethic, integrity, and showing up ready to do your best every single day.” Lavertu noted that these skills have helped him with the forming and growing of his woodworking business, JBL Woodworking, where he has turned his passion into a profession, making and selling handcrafted cutting boards and kitchen utensils, and has begun working on furniture pieces.

He reminded all present that “Career and Technical Education isn’t a backup plan; it’s a smart plan. CTE students like us aren’t just learning skills, we’re stepping into careers that are needed, respected and in high demand.”

This was not Lavertu’s first time representing the quality and value of Maine’s CTE programming.

A State of Maine first place winner in last year’s Skills USA cabinetmaking competition, Lavertu competed last summer at the national level, where he ranked 16th out of 39 competitors.