By Stepfanie Romine for NAF
In recent years, the Pontiac School District has gained major momentum in career and technical education as a way to reshape what students can do and achieve before graduation.
With 10 Michigan Department of Education state-approved CTE programs and an 11th awaiting approval, the district has doubled its offerings in just a few years — and earned statewide recognition for the efforts.
Earlier this year, the Pontiac School District received the Michigan Department of Education Office of Career and Technical Education – Excellence in Practice: Business and Community Partnerships Award for its early childhood education program created with Oakland University. The program is the first of its kind in Michigan.
The collaboration is unique in Michigan, said Bryan Schuerman, the district’s CTE Supervisor and an American Meteorological Society Certified Educator.
“Our students are actively enrolled as college students now, while they are doing that course at the high school level — so they are receiving college credit and high school credit concurrently,” said Schuerman. “That’s not something that has been done in the state of Michigan before.”
Collaboration and strong partnerships made it possible, he said.
“The key to the success of building our CTE programs is the administration I work with, the teachers I work with, and our partnership with NAF,” he said. “It’s not a one-person job for this. It takes a lot of people to make this work.”
In his third year with the district, Schuerman has overseen the launch or formalization of several programs, including information technology (IT), engineering, aviation, and a homegrown CNA/PCT health sciences program, along with the early childhood program.
Pontiac’s programs align with state competencies and industry expectations, supported in part by NAF resources, advisory tools and professional learning. Schuerman said that support from NAF has helped strengthen the district’s offerings.
“We are very glad that we have NAF as a partner to work with our CTE programming,” he said.
One of the district’s most impactful NAF-aligned experiences is Future Ready Labs, a summer internship program that blends professional skill-building with paid work opportunities.
“We pick a handful of students, interview them, they do resumes, and then it brings them into a pseudo-internship program that partners with NAF,” Schuerman said.
This past summer, students worked with the Pontiac Regional Chamber and earned hourly wages.
“They were making $18 an hour over the summer,” Schuerman said. “We were providing that opportunity in a different setting through NAF Future Ready Labs.”
Schuerman said the experience was especially meaningful after the passing of Chamber chairman, Damany Head.
“The students really came out and talked about how their interactions with Damany through NAF Future Ready Labs really helped them grow as students,” he said.
In the classrooms, teachers also integrate emerging technologies. In the information technology pathway, Pontiac High School faculty member, Raquel Welch-Johnson, is integrating AI, cybersecurity and other quickly evolving technologies into her lessons.
“Our students are already engaging with AI every day, both inside and outside of school,” she said. “As educators, we are committed to learning and adapting so that we can guide them safely and in an appropriate manner, thereby increasing their skills. It’s not about rushing — it’s about staying current, intentional, and prepared to support students, as they navigate the tools that are already shaping their world.”
Welch-Johnson serves on both district and state AI teams and shares weekly resources with colleagues in conjunction with Oakland Schools.
“I publish a weekly AI newsletter that provides resources and guidance for our teachers, and I intentionally bring those same practices back into the classroom, so our students are learning the same language and skills,” she said. “This helps bridge the gap between administration, teachers, and students, ensuring we are all aligned and preparing students with the employability skills they need for today’s workforce.”
Her students also participate in internships, real-world IT projects, and partnerships with institutions like Oakland University and local tech firms.
“These experiences are not simulations,” she said. “Our students are engaging in authentic, real-world problem-solving that mirrors industry expectations. Our instructors are intentionally designing opportunities that enrich, engage and enhance students’ readiness for employment in an ever-changing, technology-driven future. These are the kinds of hands-on experiences that empower students to excel well beyond the classroom.”
“At the end of the semester, our students will host the PHS Chili Cook Off, an event designed to help them invest in themselves, by networking with city and district leadership,” Welch-Johnson said. “Students will showcase their skills by planning and managing the entire experience — from ticket sales and advertising to QR codes, logistics and event flow. While 13 teachers will highlight their signature dishes, our PHS students and staff are the true superstars of the day.”
The December 18th event, held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., will bring together students, teachers, Pontiac City Council members and district officials for an afternoon of fellowship and celebration.
“What better way to send our scholars into break than with a community experience they helped create?” Welch-Johnson added. “They’ll leave feeling valued, connected, and confident — knowing they are an essential part of the Pontiac community.”
Community partners play a significant role across all of Pontiac’s CTE pathways, offering job exposure, advising, and project opportunities. Schuerman said these relationships help students see what is possible.
“We need our scholars to have those experiences, and we need our scholars in this district to see themselves in these positions,” he said, adding that demand means the district is moving toward universal participation.
“We are anticipating that every student will participate in a CTE program at Pontiac High School. This participation will allow our students in the district to go from “Cradle to Career”, invested in the community in which our students live in,” Schuerman said.
NAF will continue to partner with the district through this expansion. They’re “walking hand-in-hand with us on everything,” said Welch-Johnson.
About NAF: NAF provides access to opportunities for high school students and their communities, by bringing schools and businesses together to better prepare the next generation of leaders for college, career, and future success. Visit www.naf.org to learn more.