Career Technology Education Positively Impacts All Students
In many schools career guidance programs are being dropped, especially at the high school level where
extra attention is being spent on achievement testing as a result of No Child Left Behind (NCLB). No one
wants a child left behind but there are many other ways to include all students in the education process besides relying on achievement tests. All students need career guidance particularly upon graduation from both high school and college.
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In addition, it has been noted that career education is still the most widely demonstrated and best validated proposal for education reform (Hoyt, 2001). These factors combined with the trend for high
school students to be required to choose a career pathway increases the importance of career education.
Although many might feel that career/technical education only helps certain students, these programs also
provide a smooth transition from high school to post-secondary educational institutions. In other words,
CTE helps prepare students in the college prep courses as well.
A study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that most career-tech education students enroll in post-secondary education within eight years of high school graduation (ACTE, 2006). The fact of the matter is that for most careers, whether at the skilled or professional level, individuals will need some college or similar post-secondary education to achieve their long term career goals.
It has been reported that a majority of high school graduates taking a college admissions test were not
well enough prepared college level academic courses. Students seem to be lacking in basic math, science and English skills that should have been acquired in high school and can be integrated into CTE. An important ingredient for improving student's high school performance and thus, better preparing them for post-secondary education or a future career is career and technology education.
This preparation experience is greatly enhanced by emphasizing the integration of academics and career education. The CERES (2006) program is a curriculum guide that both integrates and infuses academics and CTE. When students learn more about which careers they are in interested in, and then learn what level of education is needed to succeed in a particular career, they will be more motivated to succeed in high school in order to prepare for their post-secondary education and future career. In this way, no child is left behind.
References
ACTE (2006). Career Tech Update, September 27, 2006, 7, 4.
CERES (2005). Career Education Responsive to Every Student. San Diego, CA: EdITS.
Gray, K. (2004). Is high school career and technical education obsolete? Phi Delta Kappan, 86 (2), 128-134.
Hoyt, K. B. (2001). Career education and Education reform: Time for a rebirth. Phi Delta Kappan, 83, (4), 327-331.
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