101: Career and Technical Education
What is Career Technical Education?
Career Technical Education (CTE) prepares learners for college and careers by providing academic and technical skills needed to succeed in the workforce at the secondary and postsecondary levels.
CTE aligns education and the workforce to ensure that today’s students are learning the skills needed in the competitive job market. Nearly 60 percent of companies report having difficulty filling job openings because of a lack of qualified applicants, which can cost a company upwards of $800,000 each year in lost productivity and recruitment. CTE addresses this gap by offering specialized courses and the opportunity to participate in internships, hands on training and other work-based learning.
Who Participates in Postsecondary CTE?
In the 2017-2018 academic year, approximately 2.6 million postsecondary learners were enrolled in CTE programs. About 40 percent of CTE postsecondary students are considered economically disadvantaged and 40 percent of CTE postsecondary students are students of color.
This 101 provides a quick overview on who participates in CTE, outcomes from CTE programs, funding for CTE, and the return on investment in CTE programs.