The Maine Department of Education, in collaboration with Career and Technical Education (CTE) schools throughout Maine, is celebrating CTE month this February by highlighting some of the amazing women who have found their path in life through career and technical education. We hope their stories inspire you the way they have inspired us.
As a junior in high school, Madison Jackson had no idea what she wanted to do when she graduated.
“I was worried about it because everyone else already knew,” remembers Jackson as she one day decided to check out the list of class options at her local Career and Technical Education (CTE) center, Capital Area Tech Center (CATC) in Augusta.
Initially, Jackson wanted to be a Game Warden but remembers seeing computer technology on the list of pathways at CATC and thinking, “Oh, that’s like video games, that will be fine,” she recalled. “That’s not what it turned into at all,” she added.
As a 2023 graduate from Cony High School, Madison Jackson grew up around technology, but she never dreamed it would one day be her job.
“We had the old Windows 7 and I loved playing games on that,” she said. “I remember getting a new iPad and I thought it was the most glorious thing.”
Jackson was mesmerized by people who could build computers but when she first got started, she felt like she was picking up the hardware side of things slower than her all-male classmates. Eventually, she realized her true passion was software, cybersecurity, and networking. From there, her abilities and talent have grown into an exciting career path.
For Jackson, going to school at CATC was very different from traditional high school. It felt like she finally had a choice in the classes she took every day and for that reason, she looked forward to the school day. “We had stuff to get done, but we had the freedom to get it done, in our own time,” remembers Jackson as she explained how much better the learning environment was for her at CATC.
Jackson said one of the things she is most proud of during her time at CATC was making her original CTE teacher, Michael Fraser, proud.
“I didn’t know who he was, we started a bond, and we became buddies,” said Jackson. “He was really proud of me for succeeding to [Skills USA] nationals. I didn’t make it far, but it was just seeing him hug me and be proud of me and everything I do, even if I didn’t turn out on top. Of course, I’m proud of myself, but he was always there for the students.”
Fraser said he is proud of everything Jackson has accomplished, but that they are her accomplishments.
“I am just her biggest fan,” said Fraser. “I remember specifically the day she was hooked, it was the first time she placed on that SkillsUSA stage, at the state conference, a confidence switch flipped in her that diminished any of her doubts about success in cybersecurity. From that point on, there was no stopping her,” he added.
Jackson said that being the only girl in her classroom both years was another major factor in propelling her to succeed in computer technology.
“It gave me initiative, not to be better, but that if I can do this it will be amazing,” she said.
This year Jackson is enrolled in the Cybersecurity-Digital Forensics program at Central Maine Community College (CMCC). While she is currently working on completing her 2nd semester in college, she also has a job working in her school’s IT department. She says she is still one of just a few women in all her courses, but she is looking forward to seeing change in the coming years.
“I earned a semester’s worth of college credits at CATC,” she added. “I don’t think a lot of kids know that they are actual credit.” Jackson’s teacher showed her how to take advantage of dual enrollment at UMA and because of that, she will be able to graduate early from CMCC.
“Students are presented with many opportunities here at the technical center and Madison Jackson was the student to take advantage of everything she could,” said Fraser. “Seeing her continued growth in this industry is what makes my job worthwhile, knowing she found her career interest is what we strive for with all of our students.”
Jackson has big plans to continue pursuing her education right in central Maine before jumping into the workforce. “I hope to go to UMA [the University of Maine at Augusta] and get my bachelor’s and master’s degrees,” she said. Meanwhile, she is doubling down by applying for internships as well.
Jackson has the following advice for other high school students, especially young women, who may be thinking about enrolling in a CTE course.
“Take a chance on any single class. I’ve seen girls in firefighting, welding, and construction,” she said. Jackson shared that the key to finding a sense of belonging is trying to find someone to connect with. “It’s easy to be by yourself as the only girl. Find a connection. I still have friends from my classes. I just took a chance.”
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