Benefits of Career and Technical Education Courses in High School
byElizabeth Preston
6 min to read
Vocational education gives high schoolers practical and widely applicable technical skills that they can start immediately applying in the workforce. Even students who are still planning on earning a degree at a university can benefit from technical training. Regardless of what path your student chooses to take, the valuable life and job skills that come from this kind of education are just a couple of the benefits of CTE courses in high school.
What Is Career and Technical Education (CTE)?
Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses help students to develop the specific, practical skills they need for technical and trade jobs in fields like IT, agriculture, energy, construction, technology, repair and manufacturing, and even financial services or the arts and design. Many of these jobs do not require a bachelor’s degree, which makes them an attractive option for students who want to join the workforce shortly after graduating from high school. CTE education in high school can also help students pursue industry certifications ahead of graduation, setting them up to hit the ground running when it comes time to look for a job.
What are the Benefits of CTE Courses
“Career and Technical Education is definitely undergoing a reinvention,” says Kate Fuchs, product manager for Pearson Online & Blended Learning, the parent company of Connections Academy. “[CTE] used to be known as vocational training and had a connotation as being for students who were not college-bound. The new iteration of CTE is much more focused on the skills students need to be more productive members of society after high school or college.”
Recent data shows that, more and more, high school graduates are choosing to pursue technical education. This shift, combined with an increase in skills-based hiring practices, presents a world where practical, hands-on knowledge appears to be gaining an edge over traditional, theoretical education. This is huge news for students looking to build meaningful, sustainable careers that have longevity, and can give them transferable skills they can keep using throughout their lives.
What CTE Courses Can Offer Today's Students
The benefits of CTE courses in high school can have a ripple effect across many aspects of students’ lives, including:
Stronger Personal Development
CTE courses allow students to learn trade-specific tools, processes, and applications, but they also teach attributes like time management, the ability to clearly and patiently communicate with others, being a reliable teammate, and remaining organized. These valuable skills not only help graduates stand out in the workplace and excel in their field, but grow as people and lay the groundwork to deepen their personal relationships, develop their self-esteem and reputation, and strengthen their sense of identity.
Increased Graduation and Satisfaction Rates
Students who take CTE courses have a high school graduation rate of about 93 percent, which is 10 percentage points higher than the national average. Careertech.org also reports that students who enroll in CTE courses are more satisfied with their high school experience overall and with their ability to learn real-world skills for their future. Parents of these students agree—with 91 percent stating they believe that CTE courses are giving their children a leg up in their careers.
Hands-on Skills for College-Bound Students
CTE courses are advantageous for college-bound students because they give them a chance not only to explore a profession like electrical engineering, but also to dive in and get hands-on experience working with electricity and currents. CTE courses often receive input from experts within each field, so the courses are influenced by real-world experience, expectations, and realities, and can show college admissions officers that the student is passionate about the field.
“Colleges value well-rounded students, and success in CTE courses can demonstrate that students have aptitude and interests beyond core subjects,” said Lorna Bryant, Head of Career Solutions at Connections Academy. “Also, with more industries focusing on durable skills like problem-solving, communication, and teamwork, CTE courses on their transcripts signal to a university that a student is already honing skills upon which employers look favorably in a graduate."
Career-Readiness for Students Immediately Entering the Workforce
CTE courses benefit students who want to jump directly into their career by giving them practical training while they’re in high school. Students have the benefit of being able to smoothly transition into their working life since they’ve already had a chance to develop industry-specific skills and knowledge, earned a certification that qualifies them for an entry-level position, or completed an apprenticeship that has given them work experience in the field they want to go into.
What Are CTE Areas of Study?
At the national level, CTE is broken down into 14 areas of study called “career clusters,” which are:
Advanced Manufacturing
Agriculture
Arts, Entertainment & Design
Construction
Digital Technology
Education
Energy & Natural Resources
Financial Services
Healthcare & Human Services
Hospitality, Events & Tourism
Management & Entrepreneurship
Marketing & Sales
Public Service & Safety
Supply Chain & Transportation
The career clusters are then broken down into more specific pathways to help students further narrow their interests and design an educational plan that meets their academic and career goals.
For instance, the health sciences cluster is divided into the following possible pathways:
Biotechnology research and development
Diagnostic services
Health informatics
Support services
Therapeutic services
How Online CTE Courses Work
Online CTE courses are typically offered through an online school like Connections Academy. They can be self-guided or taught by an instructor at a specific time, include certification prep and virtual or hands-on practical labs, and may connect students to internships or apprenticeships as part of the course.
Individual Connections Academy schools will typically select the CTE courses they offer based on state or local guidelines, so be sure to check out what’s offered in your area. CTE courses are also offered through the Pearson Online Academy, which is an online private school available worldwide.
Career-Forward Coursework for Your Child’s Future
Connections Academy supports career-readiness for high school students through strategic educational partnerships and CTE courses that are designed to help students develop industry knowledge ahead of graduation. Contact us or download our free eGuide to learn more about our curriculum.
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