Blogs
How many times, and in how many different ways, have we been asked “What is CTE, Anyway?” How many different answers have been given? Is there a right answer? Education Week contributor; Catherine Gewertz has a recent article posted. Take a look at the introduction, and then head over to EdWeek to read more . . . and let’s keep the dialogue going.
Rachelle Romoda ACTEA Executive Director
Career and technical education has risen on the educational radar in the past decade, transforming itself from a college alternative into a new kind of college pathway. What is the definition of career and technical education? Career and technical education–commonly known as career-tech ed or CTE–describes classes that are designed to prepare students for work.
How is career and technical education different from vocational education? In some ways, it’s not that different. In many high schools, you can still find the same voc-ed classes that existed half a century ago. They prepare students for jobs that don’t typically require college degrees, such as child care, welding, cosmetology, or plumbing.
But in important ways, CTE is very different than your grandfather’s voc ed. Many programs now focus on areas typically associated with associate or bachelor’s degrees, such as engineering or business. Because career-tech-ed classes of all kinds are increasingly seen as roads to additional study after high school, they are meant to be more academically rigorous than those of a previous generation. Read more
