In 1986, Mac started as an electronics teacher with Henrico County Schools. Promoting a student-centered learning experience, he quickly earned student trust and peer admiration. One class built and programmed a mobile robot that demonstrated the power of CTE at a School Board meeting, and numerous students won top prizes at national Technology Student Association (TSA) competitions. In 1991 Mac received the Virginia Teacher of the Year Award.
Between 1995 and 2000, Mac became the HCPS Specialist in Technical Education, Trade Industrial Studies, Agriculture, and ROTC. He helped establish the High-Tech Academy with Virginia Commonwealth University School of Engineering, which offers up to 28 hours of college credit earned by exploring engineering in a nontraditional school setting.
In 2018, Mac helped HCPS establish a firstever CTE Letter of Intent Signing Day, replicating the exuberance a college-bound athlete would experience in accepting an athletic scholarship. Complete with parents, friends, and esteemed community members, Signing Day stresses the importance of making a motivated career choice rather than merely looking for a job.
In 2019, Mac convinced more than 150 local business partners to participate in the Life Ready Expo. This award-winning career fair engaged thousands of students and their families in direct conversations about career pathways with actual hiring employers. In 2020, the Career Rodeo allowed students to showcase their skills in front of a crowd of business and industry leaders.
After leading a nomenclature transition from CTE to the more appropriately named Department of Workforce and Career Development, Mac launched Careers on Wheels, a mobile career fair offering young learners hands-on experience with various task-based skills to explore career options. In 2024, under Mac’s leadership, HCPS opened a new Adult Education Center in vacant space at a local mall to expand lifelong learning to all.
From the classroom to the community, Mac Beaton has made it his mission to prepare all who seek it for skillful, meaningful work.
