Giving Compass' Take:

• The author lists the reasons in which career and technical education programs are comparable to four-year institutions while clearing up some common misperceptions about CTE. 

• How can CTE programs help change the mindset of what the 'path to success' looks like? 

• Read about this growing trend towards career and technical education. 

A number of recent articles have highlighted the value of career and technical education (CTE) at the individual and system levels. It is truly wonderful to see these programs finally celebrated for all that they can do for students and communities. However, it’s hard not to notice that many of these stories choose to emphasize a disconnect between career and technical education and “college,” positioning the former as a pathway for students not bound for college.

First things first: Community college and technical college are both “college,” as are most institutions that award postsecondary credentials or degrees. Even the line between apprenticeships and college is being blurred, with apprentices increasingly earning postsecondary credits and community/technical colleges serving as education providers for industry partners.

Second, college is still incredibly important, as are bachelor’s degrees. According to Georgetown’s Center on Education and the Workforce, a bachelor’s degree is still the best bet for lifetime earnings, but it’s also true that there is growing value in associate degrees, industry-recognized credentials and long-term postsecondary certificates.

Third, career and technical education students do go to college! About three-quarters of these students enroll directly in two- and four-year institutions, and research shows that these students are now as likely to go onto postsecondary education after graduation as their peers.

So what’s the way forward? It’s time that we flipped the script and focused less on ensuring “all kids go to college” and more on “all kids should choose a post-high school path that aligns with their career goals.”

For this to happen, we must invest as a country in more career exploration and experiences, particularly through more career advising and career and technical education pathways. Students need more exposure, more support and more direction, starting as early as elementary school.

Read the full article about career and technical education by Kimberly Green at The Hechinger Report