Southwest Area CTE Academy

09/15/2026

We are incredibly proud of these seven Architecture II students for earning their AWI Industry Solutions credentials!

Thank you to Mrs. Lehman for recognizing the value of this opportunity and continually pushing our students to expand their skills, challenge themselves and pursue industry recognized credentials. Her dedication helps connect classroom learning to real career opportunities right here in our community.

Congratulations to Itzayana, Johanna, Aiden, DJ, Andrew, James and Alea on this outstanding achievement, and thank you to AWI for highlighting their success!

From the classroom to an industry-recognized credential.

During the past school year, approximately 100 Construction Tech and Architecture students at the CTE Center for SW North Dakota were introduced to AWI Industry Solutions, giving students an inside look at the architectural woodwork industry and the skills that can lead to real career opportunities.

And seven Architecture 2 students took it a step further, passing the AWI IS test and earning their credentials! 👏

Congratulations to Itzayana Gonsales-Mata, Johanna Korang, Aiden Faulkner, DJ Seidel, Andrew Almanza, James Rickard and Alea Paluck on their achievement.

“AWI IS is a great opportunity to show students the importance of not underestimating anything. The skills learned in this industry-recognized training is being utilized every day in ‘small town’ Dickinson, North Dakota at TMI. Watching the students grow and evolve over our two-year program is very rewarding." -- Marjorie Lehman, Architecture/Engineering Instructor – SWCTE

09/14/2026

We are incredibly proud of these students and the continued success of our CDL program at SWCTE!

Thanks to the leadership, dedication, and extra effort of instructor Mr. Hays, these students have earned their unrestricted Class A Commercial Driver’s Licenses. This is an outstanding accomplishment that opens the door to valuable career opportunities.

Congratulations to each of you! Your hard work has paid off!

Dickinson Public Schools would like to congratulate the 10 students who have successfully passed their Class A CDL test! Earning this industry-recognized credential while still in high school is an impressive accomplishment and reflects their hard work and dedication.

Through Southwest Area CTE Academy's Intro to CDL program, students gain real-world experience through classroom instruction, commercial driving simulators, hands-on vehicle operation, and supervised driving.

We are proud to celebrate these students and the opportunities SWCTE provides to help students build valuable skills, earn credentials, and prepare for careers beyond high school.

Congratulations on this outstanding achievement!

09/09/2026

It's DHS Homecoming Week!

08/28/2026

This incredible visit would not have been possible without the support and partnership of Dickinson Public Schools. We are grateful for the opportunity to be part of such an impactful event and to help showcase the amazing students, staff, programs, and opportunities happening across our district and community.

Thank you, Dickinson Public Schools, for allowing SWCTE to be a part of this special day!

08/28/2026

What an incredible day at Southwest Area CTE Academy!

Yesterday, we had the distinct honor of welcoming U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to our campus, along with state and federal leaders, education officials, community leaders, and industry partners.

The visit began with a delicious private meal prepared and served by our Culinary II students. Secretary McMahon was joined by several of our CTSO student leaders, giving them a unique opportunity to share their experiences, accomplishments, and future plans directly with national and state leaders.

Following lunch, Secretary McMahon toured our campus alongside Lt. Governor Michelle Strinden, Assistant Secretary Kirsten Baesler, North Dakota CTE Director Wayde Sick, and other guests.

From there, it was into the classrooms and labs to meet students and teachers and see firsthand the great work happening every day at SWCTE.

Throughout the visit, we had the opportunity to share what makes our campus unique. We highlighted the tremendous partnerships we have built with business and industry, our growing Work-Based Learning program, and the collaborative model that allows students from 10 different high schools, along with homeschool students, to access high-quality Career and Technical Education opportunities on our campus.

We were also proud to share one of the most important parts of who we are: SWCTE is a place for all students.

Whether a student is a valedictorian preparing for college, a student ready to enter the workforce, or someone working hard simply to make it across the graduation stage, there is a place for them here. We talked about the ways our programs support special populations, provide hands-on and meaningful learning experiences, and create opportunities for students to discover success in ways that may look different for each individual.

We also had the opportunity to highlight new and innovative programming, including the launch of North Dakota’s new Military Pathway, along with the many other programs and partnerships helping connect education directly to workforce needs across our region and state.

The visit concluded with a roundtable discussion featuring students, educators, business and industry partners, elected officials, and community leaders. It provided an opportunity for Secretary McMahon to hear directly from those doing this work about the impact of Career and Technical Education and the importance of continued collaboration between education, industry, communities, and government.

We are incredibly proud of the way our students represented themselves, their programs, our schools, and southwest North Dakota.

Regardless of title or position, it is always an honor when leaders take the time to visit our campus, listen to our students and educators, and learn more about the work happening within our schools and communities.

Thank you to Secretary McMahon and all of our guests for spending time with us, and thank you to the students, staff members, business and industry partners, community leaders, and many others who helped make this visit such a memorable one.

We are proud of what is happening at SWCTE and grateful for the opportunity to share our students, our partnerships, and our story on a national stage.

We look forward to sharing even more photos and highlights from this special visit in the coming days!

Photo Credit: U.S. Department of Education North Dakota Career and Technical Education

08/28/2026

What an incredible day at SWCTE! We were honored to welcome so many special guests to our campus and have the opportunity to showcase our students, teachers, programs, and partnerships.

We are incredibly proud of the work happening every day at SWCTE and grateful for the opportunity to share our story. We look forward to sharing even more highlights from this memorable visit in the coming days!

08/19/2026

08/04/2026

Congratulations to Our Director, Aaron Anderson

This morning at the North Dakota CTE Professional Development Conference, Southwest Area Career and Technical Education Academy Director Aaron Anderson was recognized by his peers as the 2026 NDACTE Administrator of the Year.

Since becoming Director of SWCTE in 2021, Aaron has led the transformation of a former industrial site into one of North Dakota’s premier regional career and technical education centers. Under his leadership, SWCTE has expanded opportunities for students across southwest North Dakota through innovative programming, strong business and industry partnerships, and a steadfast commitment to preparing students for successful careers and continued education.

Prior to joining SWCTE, Aaron spent 12 years serving as North Dakota’s State Supervisor for Agricultural Education and State FFA Advisor and Executive Secretary where he played a significant role in advancing agricultural education and statewide CTE initiatives.

Today, Aaron continues to champion career and technical education by advocating for students, educators, and workforce development at both the regional and state levels. His vision, collaborative leadership, and unwavering dedication have helped position SWCTE as a model for CTE excellence across North Dakota.

Please join us in congratulating Aaron on this outstanding and well deserved recognition. We are incredibly proud to have him leading SWCTE and grateful for his continued commitment to creating opportunities that change students’ lives.

Congratulations, Aaron! Your leadership continues to make a lasting impact on our students, schools, communities, and the future workforce of North Dakota.

08/03/2026

We are proud to announce that the Southwest Area Career & Technical Education Academy Drafting and Construction Program has been recognized with the North Dakota CTE Directors Association Award of Excellence in the Trade, Industry, and Technical Education category this afternoon.

This recognition reflects a program that gives students far more than technical skills. Through architecture, engineering, construction, CAD, design build projects, and strong industry partnerships, students gain real world experience while preparing for successful careers in the skilled trades and beyond.

Congratulations to Marjorie Lehman and Scott Schmidt for their outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to providing students with meaningful, hands on learning opportunities every day. Their passion for students and collaboration with industry partners continues to make this program one of the best in North Dakota.

Thank you to our business and community partners for investing in our students and helping make opportunities like this possible.

Please join us in congratulating Mrs. Lehman, Mr. Schmidt, and all of our Drafting and Construction students on this well deserved recognition!