Strong Skills for Career Starts
Published 1:47 pm Monday, February 2, 2026
COCC’s skills-oriented education programs, from Addiction Counseling to Automotive Technology, are in the spotlight during national Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month
By Mark Russell Johnson
As Julian Hasbun of Bend is completing his Behavioral Health degree at Central Oregon Community College, graduating this June, he’s excited for what’s to come. And he’s excited about who he’s become.
“It lights me up to think about being the kind of counselor I needed at different points in my life,” he shares, reflecting on his own struggle-felt journey. “I’m really passionate about trauma-informed care and how deeply our stories, especially the ones we’re scared to say out loud, shape the way we show up in the world.”
The support provided at COCC, he says, was instrumental. “It’s been more than a school for me — it’s been a turning point.”
Hasbun will bring his unique skills — and soon, his Qualified Mental Health Associate credentials — to a field experiencing major need. Demand for behavioral health employment across the country is significant, expected to rise by 17% between 2024-34, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In Oregon, the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration has designated Central Oregon as a health professional shortage area. It’s a field eager for trained and certified personnel.
At COCC, Behavioral Health is one of more than 25 Career and Technical Education programs — referred to as “CTE” in the education world — designed to teach in-demand skills with career-specific goals. Programs include Fire Science, Pharmacy Technician, Welding and Criminal Justice. Presently, more than 27% of COCC’s students are CTE majors.
The month of February is recognized nationwide as Career and Technical Education Month, created to place an emphasis on these essential occupations. That emphasis seems extra important right now: The United States is facing a projected deficit of six million skilled workers by 2032, according to the Association for Career & Technical Education.
“These paths are relatively short-term, while leading to well-paying occupations,” says Julie Downing, instructional dean at COCC. “Graduates from our programs find their passion and bring real strength to their community.” The programs are built around one-year certificates, associate degrees or condensed, credential-focused trainings.
For instance, an 11-week Community Health Worker training course, part of the Public Health program, readies students to complete Oregon Health Authority certification and serve on the front lines of health departments and social service agencies. In the field of early education, COCC’s Developmentally Appropriate Learning Environments certificate, achievable in three terms, preps students to work in preschools and other non-licensure settings. A one-year certificate in cybersecurity unlocks a future working in information technology.
After graduating from COCC in 2023 with a certificate in cybersecurity as part of a general associate degree, Hector Luna — who built his first computer at age 14 — was hired by BasX in Redmond as an IT technician. He soon progressed to infrastructure administrator.
“Some of my central functions are configuring and administering multiple enterprise networks across our five sites, in Oregon, Texas, Missouri, Tennessee and Oklahoma,” he explains. “And of course, racking, stacking and patching physical networking equipment.”
Thanks to the support of the company, he was able to study and sit for the CompTIA Security+ exam, which led to a promotion into the infrastructure team. “My favorite part of the job is working with all the wonderful people around me. I’ve been uplifted by my peers.”
Those who concentrate on CTE educations beginning in high school, reports the Association for Career & Technical Education, are more likely than their peers to be employed full time and have higher median annual earnings eight years beyond graduation.
While CTE programs at COCC teach central skills, they set a strong foundation for continued studies too. Hasbun’s plans in the mental health field include earning a bachelor’s degree in either social work or psychology, then working as a licensed professional counselor with youth and families. It’s a career sector that a two-year degree at COCC can set in motion. And Hasbun discovered something else at the college. “I’ve grown more confident, more grounded and more committed to this path because of the way COCC has shown up for me.”
Visit cocc.edu/programs to learn more about CTE options at COCC. Spring term gets underway on March 30.