Three Ways to Create a Strong CTE Program in the District

Key points:

Career and technical education (CTE) is a crucial piece of global economic success, particularly with predicted talent shortages across numerous industries, but CTE leaders still face challenges in creating successful CTE programs that prepare students for fields. of professional preparation.

A new report from iCEV, The World Needs CTE: Why Career and Technical Education is the Key to Our Economic Futureis aimed at state elected officials, state departments of education, administrators, CTE leaders, and educators, details trends in global and national employment growth, workforce projections in major industries, and how CTE programs They can put students on the path to great jobs.

District educators said recruiting industry professionals to teach is their biggest challenge when it comes to CTE programs, followed by finding funding for programs, professional development for CTE educators, tracking state accountability requirements and implementing industry certifications into the program. CTE.

Seventy percent of CTE educators reported having industry experience prior to teaching, while 30 percent reported having no industry experience prior to teaching.

CTE teachers were the most likely of all public school grades 9-12 instructors to be new to the profession, and 10 percent had less than three years of teaching experience. Additionally, 29 percent had three to nine years of experience, 36 percent had 10 to 20 years of experience, and 25 percent had more than 20 years of experience.

About 38 percent of public CTE instructors entered teaching through an alternative certification program, a much higher rate than instructors overall (19.4 percent). Before they began teaching, 65.5 percent of public CTE teachers worked in the private sector.

The report identifies three action steps to create and sustain successful CTE programs that prepare students for a professional future.

A1. Invest in CTE teaching excellence

Create streamlined and funded pathways for industry professionals to enter teaching.

Develop professional development systems that keep educators up to date with industry trends.

Provide comprehensive, ready-to-use curriculum resources aligned to the standards.

Establish mentoring programs that connect new and experienced teachers.

A2. Prepare career-ready students

Embrace an engaging, career-focused curriculum that connects learning with real-world applications.

Create clear paths with industry-recognized certifications

Integrate essential job skills into technical training

Provide hands-on, digital learning experiences.

A3. Growth of the electrical industry through CTE

Prioritize high-growth industry needs with a targeted curriculum

Provide industry-recognized certification testing and preparation.

Create a media relations campaign, including social media, to raise awareness.

Implement learning resources based on real-world scenarios

Develop industry partnership programs for funding and internships.

Laura Ascione is the editorial director of eSchool Media. He graduated from the prestigious Philip Merrill School of Journalism at the University of Maryland.

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