Bryan Fix Named ACTE Champion for CTE

Bryan Fix Named ACTE Champion for CTE

ALEXANDRIA, VA - The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) and its Board of Directors are pleased to announce the ACTE Champion for CTE: Bryan Fix, Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Sky Lakes Medical Center in Klamath Falls, OR. The ACTE Champion for CTE award recognizes education leaders, business and industry executives, celebrities and thought leaders who support and champion career and technical education (CTE) programs as a vital part of developing a prepared, adaptable and competitive workforce.

Bryan has significantly contributed to Career and Technical Education (CTE) through his role as Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Sky Lakes Medical Center in Klamath Falls, OR. As a former state officer in the FFA during high school and an active member of in his school’s FBLA Program, Bryan’s early experiences shaped his commitment to student career pathways and even paid for a full 4 years of post-secondary education through various scholarships awarded through his career-connected learning experiences. A lifelong learner with a passion for education, Bryan has worked at Sky Lakes Medical Center to dramatically improve outcomes for local students by reintroducing clinical rotations for high school students. These students receive scrubs, hospital badges, and access to over 14 hospital departments, gaining valuable insights into their potential careers.

Bryan and his teams in the Human Resources and Training and Development departments initiated an innovative “Earn-and-Learn” program, hiring high school juniors and seniors as paid Unit Ambassadors. These students participate in hands-on experiences, receive monthly career counseling, and have their training and education funded by Sky Lakes to advance within the medical system. This program has expanded into three unique tracks, including a Surgical Technician pipeline in partnership with Klamath Community College, enabling students to become Surgical Technicians with significantly higher wages.

Additionally, Bryan launched a Medical Assisting Pre-Apprenticeship Program with local high schools. Students complete their pre-apprenticeship in high school and then join Sky Lakes as Medical Assistant Apprentices receiving 6-12 months of direct mentorship and achieving full employment with national certification within a year of graduation. This initiative aims to address the shortage of MAs in Klamath County, with plans to hire approximately 35 MAs annually.

Bryan’s leadership has also influenced local high school curriculums to align with industry needs, from Medical Assisting Pre-Apprenticeship classes to Anatomy & Physiology and Professionalism and Employability courses. He has developed feedback systems to measure the success of clinical observations and secured guest speakers from the hospital for high school classrooms. His efforts have facilitated professional development for medical science teachers and garnered support for high school medical programs through grants and donations.

Passionate about equitable access to medical science education, Bryan is working to expand medical science programs to more high schools in the Klamath Basin (a rural and medically underserved region) and invite students from schools without such programs to participate inclinical observations and apply for Unit Ambassador positions. His vision includes creating a regional CTE Center to provide equitable access to CTE programming for all students and extended educational pathways from high school through university programs offered regionally with Klamath Community College and Oregon Tech (OIT).

Bryan’s initiatives have fostered a vibrant partnership between Sky Lakes and local schools, highlighting the broad scope of CTE and its impact on community development. This model has inspired other industries and CTE programs to develop similar pipelines, creating positive conversations about the future of education and workforce development in Klamath County. Bryan’s leadership has attracted attention from various regions across the state of Oregon, eager to replicate the success achieved in Klamath County.

Fix will be recognized alongside other national ACTE award winners at the Awards Gala on December 4, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. For more information on the Impact Awards and the Awards Gala, visit http://www.acteonline.org/awards.

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About ACTE
The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is the nation’s largest not-for-profit association committed to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for successful careers. ACTE represents the community of CTE professionals, including educators, administrators, researchers, school counselors, guidance and career development professionals and others at all levels of education. ACTE is committed to excellence in providing advocacy, public awareness and access to resources, professional development and leadership opportunities.