Career and Technical Education

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them with opportunities to collaborate. Students are more invested in their course of study because they have chosen their area of interest and are naturally more motivated and curious.

There are many challenges that Career and Technology Education faces. According to Bridgeland R. Balfanz, J.M., M. Bruce, & J. Hornig Fox (2013) Building a grad nation: Progress and challenge in ending the high school dropout epidemic: Despite all of the advancement, many people still think that CTE is an avenue for underperforming students and only is a vocational education program. It is also very difficult to recruit well qualified professionals to become educators. Core academic teachers requirements are less exacting than CTE teachers. A CTE teacher must have credentials that indicates they have a certain amount of professional experience. They must also get a state license to teach at a secondary or postsecondary level. CTE educators are required to blend core curriculum requirements such as writing and math skills into their lessons. There are not many postsecondary educational institution that offer certifications in CTE. CTE teachers must stay current with educational requirements and trends as well as stay current in their discipline. It is difficult to stay current in trends in their field when so much time and energy is devoted to the classroom.

Finding employers who are willing to work closely with CTE programs can also be a challenge. Guidance counselors can give students valuable information that may lead to them enrolling in a CTE program but funding for guidance positions has been reduced. Core academic and CTE policymakers must work closely together to coordinate curriculum that will prepare students for the workplace and college.

The gap between the amount of education needed for the demands of the workplace and what sort of education future workers are achieving is significant. It is clear to me that Career and Technical Education’s unique approach to education will be successful despite significant hurdles. The CTE program offers opportunities to young people to learn about career options and prepares them for the rigors of college study. With the support of the government and workplace partners, the CTE programs of the future can address that challenge.

Lynch, Sean. “President Obama Authorizes National CTE Scholars Program.” President Obama Authorizes National CTE Scholars Program, Association for Career and Technical Education, 22 June 2015, www.acteonline.org/general.aspx?id=8352#.WYkJ-saZO1s.

“Fact Sheet: Helping More Americans Complete College: New Proposals For Success.” Fact Sheet: Helping More Americans Complete College: New Proposals For Success | U.S. Department of Education, US Department of Education, 19 Jan. 2016, www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/fact-sheet-helping-more-americans-complete-college-new-proposals-success.

Carnevale, A., Smith, N., & Strohl, J. (2010). Help wanted: Projections of jobs and education requirements through 2018. Washington, DC: Georgetown University, Center for Education and the Workforce. Retrieved from http://www9.georgetown.edu/grad/gppi/hpi/cew/ pdfs/FullReport.pdf

Balfanz, R., Bridgeland, J. M., Bruce, M., & Hornig Fox, J. (2013). Building a grad nation: Progress and challenge in ending the high school dropout epidemic. Retrieved from http://www.americaspromise.org/Our-Work/Grad-Nation/Building-a-Grad-Nation.aspx

Brand, Betsy, Browning, Andrea and Valent, Andrew. (2013). “How Career and Technical Education Can Help Students Be College and Career Ready: A Primer.” COLLEGE & CAREER READINESS & SUCCESS Center at American Institutes for Research. Retrieved from http://www.ccrscenter.org/sites/default/files/CCRS%20Primer%20Brief.pdf