By ensuring students have the option to engage in a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program, we are preparing students to positively and effectively contribute and engage in the world of work. In one year of tracking work-based learning, high school juniors and seniors at one career center alone earned over $1.2 million dollars, worked over 89,000 hours, and earned 1,931 industry credentials collectively (1). In fact, these students have $0 in student loan debt from their newly acquired skills and training.

In Career and Technical Education, students are enrolled in programs to earn industry credentials while also earning their high school diploma. This perfect marriage of academics and career-tech programming creates a seamless bridge from a traditional high school to a career pathway, positioning students to join the workforce before graduation. However, if a CTE student decides to go to college, their college entrance resume will be greatly enhanced by industry recognized credentials and opportunities offered in CTE.

During high school, typically the junior and senior year, work-based learning gives students the opportunity to work on the job either for pay or toward program completion. In CTE, each program is held to industry standards and guidelines. For example, students in Cosmetology can earn up to 300 hours of  non-paid training in a salon that goes toward completing a 1500 hour program. Once the student completes the program and applies to take the licensing exam, they can get a Cosmetology work permit that is issued by the state board (Ohio specific) and begin working for pay This work permit expires the day of their scheduled exam. Once they pass the licensing exam, they are eligible to work full time before they graduate. Unlike the state licensing exam that requires the completion of a specific amount of hours, many other CTE programs allow students to work in their field using their newly acquired skills and industry credentials under the supervision of their employer and in conjunction with the school district’s work-based learning coordinators.

Another benefit of Career-Tech is the opportunity to participate in Career-Technical Student Organizations, also known as CTSO’s. According to the National Coordinating Council for Career and Technical Student Organizations, “Students who participate in CTSOs demonstrate higher levels of academic engagement and motivation, civic engagement, career self-efficacy and employability skills than other students”. Typically, students who participate in CTSOs have higher educational aspirations, a higher GPA and are more likely to attend college (https://www.ctsos.org). Maybe the most common CTSO is Future Farmers of America and yet, there are many more including:

• Business Professionals of America (BPA)
• Future Farmers of America (FFA)
• DECA
• Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA)
• Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
• HOSA-Future Health Professionals
• SkillsUSA
• Technology Student Association

From personal experience as a CTSO advisor, I can tell you that whatever beautiful wording that is written to describe the purpose and mission of a CTSO, the impact on the lives of the students who participate is even richer and more developed than those words can describe. Through Career-Tech Ed and CTSOs, high school students are transformed into future leaders and innovators. One of the most rewarding opportunities as a CTE educator is to watch a CTSO competition where every competitor is working hard to do their best work. Industry partners act as contest coordinators and judges. Many corporations support and donate time and resources to CTSOs to help fill the skills gap felt across our nation.

Once the graduates are in the workforce, it is not uncommon to have them return to their career centers and become a part of Advisory Committees.  By doing so, they help mold and shape the next generation of leaders, while passing on the skills they have acquired as industry professionals. When a student graduates and becomes a part of the workforce, they also become part of a network that enriches the communities they serve. Many of the graduates become entrepreneurs, business owners, employees, or community leaders and  positively and effectively contribute to the next generation of workers.

Source:

1. https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/3140/PRCTC/2742130/P-R_Annual_Report_2021-22.pdf