Career and Technical Education: Definition and Benefits
In an era marked by swift technological advancements and evolving job markets, Career and Technical Education (CTE) emerges as a dynamic educational approach, equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in the modern workforce. CTE integrates academic subjects with career-focused, hands-on learning, offering students pathways to develop critical skills and knowledge in specific career fields.
What is Career and Technical Education?
Career and Technical Education (CTE), previously known as vocational education, is an educational model found in schools that provides students with the academic, technical, and real-world knowledge, skills, and experience they need to be prepared for a variety of career options. CTE gives students training and skills in many different types of careers in high-growth industries such as science and technology, healthcare, and business management.
To better align both secondary and postsecondary education with the nation's economic and workforce needs, the federal government provides funding to states, institutions of higher education (IHEs), and local educational agencies (LEAs) to support CTE. CTE, sometimes referred to as vocational education, provides occupational preparation at the secondary and postsecondary levels.
Key Components of CTE
- Integration of Academics and Technical Skills: CTE blends traditional classroom learning with practical, job-related skills. It integrates academic knowledge with a practical or applied purpose, such as nursing, business administration, culinary arts, automotive maintenance, software programming, engineering technology, and cosmetology.
- Experiential Learning: One of CTE’s defining features is its emphasis on experiential learning. CTE programs blend traditional classroom learning with practical, job-related skills. Students receive hands-on training, mentoring, and internships from employers in their community. They learn how to develop a resume and interview for a job.
- Career Exploration: CTE enables students to explore various career options before committing to a specific path. CTE programs are personalized, hands-on, and let students explore different career fields. CTE exposes students to careers across various Career Clusters, including careers students may not be familiar with or may not have ever considered, as well as the skills required for different careers. CTE programs ensure that all students understand the vast career possibilities available to them by allowing them to explore a range of career options based on what they love to do and do well. CTE gives students opportunities to figure out what they are passionate about and want to do after high school.
CTE Programs and Structure
CTE is commonly offered by high schools, area CTE centers, detention centers, community colleges, and trade (vocational or technical) schools, and by employers through apprenticeships and on-the-job training. Generally, CTE occupations require two years or less of postsecondary education or training.
Because of the breadth of subjects covered by CTE, practitioners have organized CTE into career clusters, programs of study, and career pathways to facilitate CTE program development and to help students understand related opportunities.
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- Career Clusters: Career clusters contain occupations that are in the same field and require similar skills. They were developed by ED and various stakeholders and have been used for over two decades. Practitioners have developed a broad curriculum framework for academic and technical instruction around each career cluster to support the preparation of students for additional education, employment in a career area, or both. There are 14 career clusters, which demonstrate the scope and breadth of CTE. For example, the agriculture career cluster concentrates on scientific advancements of agriscience, cultivation, processing, and distribution of agricultural products.
- Programs of Study: Programs of study provide a coordinated, nonduplicative sequence of academic and technical content at the secondary and postsecondary level that incorporates state academic standards for secondary students and incorporates technical knowledge and skills aligned with local or state industry needs that progresses in specificity.
- Career Pathways: Career pathways provide education for success in additional secondary or postsecondary education, training aligned with local or state industry needs, counseling to support the achievement of the individual's education and career goals, and other services to accelerate educational and career advancement.
CTE Participation
According to data from ED, nationwide CTE participation has changed from 7.6 million secondary students in 2007-2008 to 7.8 million in 2022-2023 and from 4.3 million postsecondary CTE participants in 2007-2008 to 3.3 million in 2022-2023. According to the 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) High School Transcript Study (HSTS), graduates earned 0.5 fewer CTE credits in 2019 compared to 1990 (3.3 and 3.8 credits, respectively).
According to the most recent available data, the vast majority (85%) of 2019 public and private high school graduates attained at least one CTE unit. American Indian/Alaska Native students were the racial/ethnic group most likely to participate (87%), while Asian students were the least likely to participate (77%). Female students were less likely to participate than male students (82% compared to 87%). Students enrolled in schools located in rural areas (92%) had higher participation rates than those in cities (80%). Though most students participated in CTE, 37% decided to concentrate in CTE. American Indians/Alaska Native students were the racial/ethnic group most likely to concentrate (45%), while Asian students were the least likely to concentrate (27%).
CTE at the Postsecondary Level
CTE at the postsecondary level generally consists of subbaccalaureate postsecondary programs designed to impart relevant knowledge and skills that relate to the requirements of specific occupations or careers. Some CTE programs are terminal, while others may be used as a stepping stone to obtain a more advanced credential (i.e., stackable credentials). The largest proportion (almost 30%) of graduates completed programs in the health professions and related fields, followed by the 13% of graduates completing programs in business, management, and marketing. Over two-thirds (69%) of CTE associate's degrees and subbaccalaureate certificates were awarded by public two- or four-year institutions.
Benefits of Career and Technical Education
Career and technical education offers a number of tangible advantages to the students, the school, and society as a whole.
- Provides Hands-On Career Exploration: A key reason for students changing majors multiple times in college is a lack of hands-on career exploration opportunities during high school. Career and technical education, however, is built around the idea of giving students those hands-on opportunities with the end goal of getting a job firmly in sight. Students get to learn about the industry associated with that course, learn the basics, and try out the work for themselves.
- Focuses on Skills Training: Unlike most traditional academic classrooms, which mostly focus on knowledge and theory, career and technical education focuses on true skills training. Acquiring technical skills are key parts of career preparation. Along with technical skills, or “hard skills,” CTE also does a great job of teaching career readiness skills, or “soft skills.” These can include work ethic, time management, teamwork, problem-solving, and more. The experience students pick up working on CTE class projects helps to build these characteristics.
- Offers Credentials and Certifications: Much like a diploma or a degree provides proof of completing an academic program, credentials and certifications show verification of skills training. Earning credentials through CTE can provide a leg up on the competition and position an individual well for gainful employment.
- Improves Graduation Rates: CTE has major impacts on the shorter-term high school career of students. A recent study showed that CTE concentrators were more likely than non-CTE concentrators to graduate from high school on time. The improvement in graduation rates is in large part due to the hands-on, real-world application that CTE provides.
- Prepares Students for Postsecondary Education: CTE helps give students valuable skills and knowledge. A significant percentage of students taking a CTE concentration in high school go on to enroll in postsecondary education and training after graduating. Not only does CTE provide a great education in its own right, but it also acts as a stepping stone to the next stage in a student’s path to higher education, whatever form of that it may be.
- Economic Outcomes: CTE students who attend college earn more than non-CTE students. Among students not attending college, CTE concentrators in every career cluster earn higher wages on average throughout the first seven years after their expected high school graduation. CTE is associated with an increase in earnings for several student populations of interest, including students with disabilities, lower-income students, Black and Latino students, and students with the lowest academic scores. CTE concentrators are substantially more likely to earn above the poverty threshold than other observable factors, such as parental education attainment, would suggest.
Challenges and Strategies
Despite the numerous benefits, CTE programs face challenges, including negative perceptions, limited information on evidence-based strategies, and difficulties linking data across state systems. Some state and CTE program officials struggled to link data across state systems in order to follow students through their education and career trajectories.
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Addressing the Challenges
To address these challenges, strategies and resources have been developed, such as:
- Promoting CTE as a Valuable Pathway: Overcoming negative perceptions of CTE by highlighting the opportunities and benefits it offers.
- Developing Evidence-Based Strategies: Providing clear and actionable guidance on effective CTE program implementation.
- Improving Data Linkages: Enhancing data systems to track student progress and outcomes across education and career pathways.
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