Christene Collins
BGSU EDWF 5670
Spring 2018
Career and Technical Education Quality Advancements
Career and Technical Education has evolved from a sub-par education standard for underachieving students and is ever changing to provide more practical and quality instruction within the educational system. Students are offered a more varied and concentrated areas of studies, preparing them with practical knowledge and relevant skills often coupled with specialized certificates to enter the workforce. Students in high school and beyond are able to acquire skills from knowledgeable educators in utilizing the traditional mode of instruction and practicum settings for acquisition of skills. The Career and Technical Education areas are recognized on a national level within all educational opportunities as a viable means for career readiness through which persons are supported by academic and technical achievement. In response to ensuring educational leadership for career based instruction, the Association for Career and Technical Education was formed on a national level. The ACTEs overall purpose is promoting advancement in education within technical fields. Up girding this endeavor requires public awareness of CTE, encompassing national awareness of the benefits of technical education as well as community
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The student functions with the programs with the responsibility of learning placed on them. Because of this structure, the graduation rate for CTE participants is over ninety-eight percent, compared to an overall main stream average of eighty-three per cent. The CTE students are also more likely to obtain additional education in secondary CTE programs, further advancing their skills and knowledge. The successful CTE student is recognized within the workforce as having high quality employable
Subsequently what is done is that selected high schools develop a curriculum that is organized around a specific career cluster, which are like a specialized charter school. The goal is to feature a series advanced “pathway” courses that can help students to enrich their knowledge through work-based learning and academics. In turn, this specialized education will allow student to demonstrate their understanding through assessments and industry credentialing opportunities. As well these schools are enrolled in a learning exchange that have partnerships that are organized to support the programs of study by coordinating statewide networks of education partners, businesses, industry associations, labor, and other organizations (2013, p. 21-23). Consequently, the program is driven to help high school students develop a career path and to receive exploratory education that will given them an advantage in either college endeavors or in the job market.
The university-statehouse-industrial complex has grown such that the traditional models of primary and secondary education have survived two or three decades beyond their practical use. With a public school system that segregates and discriminates based on, “college material or not?” (Brolin & Loyd, 1989) and a university system that places only one in five graduates in work in their field of major (cite), our educational system has passed its prime and is still training and educating for 20th century job markets that no longer exist. The way that we educate and what we educate for and why needs rethinking from the top down and needs to be more practical and pragmatic. Career and technical education (CTE) consisting of specialized, targeted, and focused vocational programs at all levels do more than just prepare a student for a real job – these programs have practical education and socialization value that conventional classrooms centered around a teacher’s monologue for many do not. Nowhere is the added value of such targeted programs more useful and valuable than in special classes, courses, and CTE training aimed at students with disabilities.
Career Academy is an on-campus program where students are encouraged to participate in courses and activities that will prepare them for future careers. Students work towards earning a diploma through the creation of a portfolio. The curriculum is broad and integrative, drawing on each student’s unique needs and skills.
Career Cruising is an informational website and available at participating schools, public libraries, and employment agencies across North America. This program is intended to direct individuals towards appropriate career choices based on specific criteria, such as education, training and previous experience. Individuals can find this information database self-directed, user friendly and rewarding while presenting a variety of options to meet their personal needs. Not only does it offer assistance for the perspective individual in career development, but also on SAT/ACT preparation, online study guides, interview strategies and seminars by promoting growth and effective career opportunities.
High Schools That Work (HSTW), a school improvement initiative of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), has documented achievement gains by career and technical education (CTE) students at participating sites (Bottoms and Presson 2000). At HSTW sites participating in 1996 and 1998 assessments (Frome 2001), CTE students showed math and science achievement equal to the national average of all high school students—and exceeded the national average of CTE students in math, science, and reading.
In the United States, the history of Career and Technical Education evolved within four major periods. First, the Awakening period which began in 1776-1826, when the right to a free public education was expressed. During this era, educational opportunities in labor and industrial education were being demanded. The rising working class began to press for an education that were more appropriate for their labor and industry’s needs (Awakening 1776-1826, 1976). Even Benjamin Franklin who represented the Awakening middle class was on board with the rise of technical and vocational education which were taught primarily by private masters or contracted apprenticeships (Cohen, 1976).
In 2012 nearly 205,000 people were employed as a physical therapist in the United States. The average salary of a physical therapist in 2012 was $79,860 per year. The number of jobs is estimated to grow 36% from 2012-2022. This job of physical therapy involves many and very important tasks to fulfill the needs of their patients. It requires many different educational requirements and you must have strong people skills.
Career and technical education courses are intended to prepare high school students to enter the work force in a skilled trade. It equips the students with the experience and education necessary to succeed in an average skill level job while maintaining the student’s interest. In an article that focuses on an aviation CTE program, a “senior policy analyst at the Morrison Institute, said that Career and Technical Education provides another opportunity for students who struggle in high school.” The assumption is that students who struggle in high school presumably do not want another four years of education to attain a bachelor’s degree. Until recently, schools have been excessively geared towards college readiness. The dogma was elementary school, high school, college, without exception. With this “one size fits all” education system in place, a different education course had to evolve. CTE courses offer a break from the tedious grind by introducing career readiness as an alternative. In place of the four years in a college, CTE programs gives student...
For far too long, people have regarded vocational schooling as a second class option to a traditional college. Some believe that only under achievers will attend this type of school...
Grover, G. (2002). Career information center eighth engineering, science, and technology. (8th ed.). Michigan: visual education corporation.
J. (2002) The Role of career and technical Education: Implications for the Federal Government. Office of Vocational and Adult Education, U. S. Department of Education. ED-99-CO-0160.
Past data indicates that students have been successful in achieving industry certifications to meet the graduation requirement. However, Mr. Funderburk wants to provide students with more coursework on hardware and software. The state competencies outline the requirements for the class and he feels that too much emphasis is on the industry certification. As he develops the professional growth plan he wants to include other components detailed in the state
Responses from surveying alumni are returning poor results. Finally, the program must be built into the overall experience and built into the community. Administrators must get from employers what are the problems they are attempting to solve; all pieces must be contacted if technical colleges will improve their job placement
Colleges and universities need to be structured so that they prepare students for specific career roles, as well as give them a level of appreciation for the world in which they live. Brewer’s succe...
These clusters encompass grouping of similar occupations and industries, and each career cluster may contain multiple career pathways. CTE programs offer traditional graduation options, as well as opportunities to earn duel credit and/or national certifications. Students are exposed to career options within each career cluster that can be achieved with varying levels of academic credentials, from a high school diploma to a post secondary degree and beyond. On average one third of Mississippi K-12 students took at least one CTE