Technical expertise; Vo-Tech Center offers alternative path.(B SECTION)

Byline: CHRISTINA DeNARDO christina.denardo@heraldtribune.com

CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- Almost half the graduates of Charlotte schools go directly into the work force without the job skills necessary for success, local school officials say.

"We don't feel like at this point that we are doing the best job we can to prepare them for a career," said Charlotte Superintendent Dave Gayler.

In response, Charlotte school officials want to make classes more relevant to real-world demands by expanding vocational education.

The district is considering expansion of the Charlotte Vo-Tech Center, increasing the number of career and technical classes in the schools, and forging a closer relationship with the business community.

For too long, vocational education advocates say, schools have been trying to shove square pegs into round holes by jamming college-prep classes into every student's schedule when they could offer classes more applicable to the work world.

Forty percent of Charlotte's students don't go beyond high school, about the same percentage as the state average. Only half of those who do go on, graduate. School systems are obliged to…