Career and Technical Education is a gateway for many students, earning them an advantage as they prepare to enter a competitive professional marketplace. Students complete introductory, concentrator and capstone courses within a pathway to reach industry-standard skill levels. However, if we don’t prioritize these CTE spaces, we run the risk of shortchanging our students as they enter the workforce.
In order to build elite CTE spaces and create opportunities for all students, we will need to examine the foundations of each district program.
- student registration process and access to CTE courses
- CTE facilities using industry-standard equipment and/or software
- maximizing use of CTE-specific state and federal funding
- industry certification for each CTE pathway
- connecting each pathway to area colleges so students can earn college credit (articulation)
If we don’t start staying ahead of the curve when it comes to our CTE pathways, students will be at risk of falling short as they enter the competitive workforce.