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June 05, 2025
Photo courtesy of Alex Heugel.
LANSING -- Mr. Alex Heugel, a 2015 St. Joseph High School graduate and recent culinary competition winner, credits a Michigan career and technical education (CTE) program for his success.
“Technical education classes in high school played a huge role in figuring out my career path,” said Heugel, who in April won the Amazon Prime Video streamed “America’s Test Kitchen: Next Generation.” “I found getting hands-on experience during school to be informative and engaging.”
Heugel, who teaches cooking classes at Chicago’s The Chopping Block school, will become a cast member on the PBS broadcast “America’s Test Kitchen.”
Ms. Laura Berry, a St. Joseph High School Culinary Arts instructor, remembers Heugel from his freshman and sophomore years at the Berrien County school and is proud of his career development.
“Alex was a leader in the classroom and had the respect of his peers,” she said. “He also has a passion for the science of cooking that was as strong as it is now.”
After his high school experience, Heugel graduated from Kendall College School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management. He offered the following advice to students who want to pursue career and technical education courses.
“My biggest advice to Michigan high school students would be to avoid comparing yourself to others,” Heugel said. “In this day and age, it is easy to compare yourself to others as you can see what everyone is doing constantly. At times, I have doubted myself because I figured pursuing my dreams was pointless if I was never going to be as good as certain individuals. Every career and profession is so multi-faceted, so within them there are niche skills you will discover along the way, which help you find value in yourself. So ultimately, keep pushing through doubt, and compare your current self to your past self, not to others.”
In recent months, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and the State Board of Education have advocated for CTE program growth and expansion.
Enrollment in CTE programs has not only recovered from a decline during the pandemic but now exceeds enrollment from before COVID. In the 2023-24 school year, 112,156 students enrolled in CTE programs, the third year of increases totaling more than 9,000 students, or 9%, since the 2020-21 school year enrollment of 102,988 at the low point of the pandemic and more than the pre-pandemic, 2019-20 school year enrollment of 111,073.
CTE completers, students who finish an entire series of courses in a given career area rather than a single course or two, have also increased the last three years, with a total increase of more than 8,000 students, or 19% from 44,226 in 2020-21 to 52,625 in 2023-24, and greater than not only the 2019-20 pre-pandemic number of 50,416 but also any single year pre-pandemic.
Ms. Celena Mills, director of the MDE Office of Career and Technical Education, said CTE programs assist many Michigan public schools students.
“Career and technical education is an important part of students’ career development, allowing them to explore career options and helping to connect the academic content they are learning in the classroom to their future career goals,” she said. “CTE programs give students a competitive advantage by allowing them to earn industry-recognized credentials, postsecondary credits, and valuable work experience while still in high school.”
State Superintendent Dr. Michael F. Rice also shared the importance of CTE programs and the success that Heugel has earned.
“Career and Technical Education programs help our students to realize their full potential,” he said. “Mr. Alex Heugel represents the power and possibilities of these important educational options for tens of thousands of Michigan public schools students.”
CTE efforts also help to support several goals in Michigan’s Top 10 Strategic Education Plan. Included are Goal 4, to expand secondary learning opportunities for all students; Goal 5, to increase the percentage of all students who graduate from high school; and Goal 6, to increase the percentage of adults with a post-secondary credential.
For more information about Michigan CTE programs, visit the Office of Career and Technical Education website.
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