COLUMBIA — In the weeks leading up to the Columbia Christmas parade, students in the Construction program at the Marion County Carl Loftin Career & Technology Center turned their shop into a full-scale build site—designing, framing, sheathing, painting, and decorating a parade float from the ground up.
The finished project, a bright blue-and-green “train car” labeled “CTE EXPRESS,” was more than a parade entry. It was a rolling showcase of Career and Technical Education (CTE) and the hands-on skills students learn daily. Along the top of the float, program areas were highlighted for the community to see. The exterior was trimmed with lights and winter-themed “snow,” giving the float a festive look while keeping the focus on student craftsmanship.
Inside the shop, students worked through every stage of construction like a real jobsite crew. Photos from the build show students measuring and laying out material, cutting lumber and plywood, fastening framing members, and assembling large panels. In one picture, a student stands on a ladder using a nail gun to secure an upper beam—wearing safety glasses and focusing on placement and alignment. In another, two students carefully guide a jigsaw through a plywood sheet, demonstrating control, teamwork, and attention to a cut line.
As the structure came together, the project shifted into finishing work—sanding, paint prep, and rolling on the float’s bold blue color. With ladders set up along the trailer and drop cloths spread below, students handled the kind of details that separate a rushed project from a professional-looking result.
For the construction students, the float served as a practical lesson in planning, material handling, tool safety, communication, and quality control. For the community, it’s a chance to see what CTE students can do when they’re given a real-world goal and the opportunity to build something that represents their school and programs with pride.
When the “CTE Express” rolled through downtown Columbia, it carried more than Christmas spirit—it carried a message: skilled trades, career pathways, and student talent are alive and growing right here
at home.
