I review the literature evaluating sub-baccalaureate career and technical education (CTE) at community colleges. The goal of this study is to review the evidence describing how earning these types of credentials affects students' outcomes, as well as which program characteristics contribute to student success. The research suggests that, on…

The five-year initiative New Skills for Youth (NSFY) aimed to transform career readiness education and bridge the skills gap by supporting innovative strategies in 10 states across the United States. NSFY was one of the earliest and most impactful philanthropic investments in career pathways and career readiness in recent history and helped spark…

This study aimed to provide a quantitative analysis of industry's perception of the effectiveness of community colleges, specifically from industries in the advanced manufacturing sector, within the state of Michigan. This study investigated interactions, awareness, and perception of effectiveness by industry leaders with community college CTE…

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of 13 former career and technical graduates who participated in an internship while in high school. With each participant, the researcher conducted interviews that focused on their perceptions of their internship experience and the influence it had on their career or college pathway. The…

Leveraging the state's dual enrollment program, Georgia policymakers introduced a novel postsecondary pathway called "Option B" that allows students to bypass many traditional high school graduation requirements by completing sub-baccalaureate credentials for career and technical education instead. Given the distinctiveness of this…

This qualitative study investigated the perspectives of Career and Technical Education (CTE) and non-CTE high school graduates regarding CTE programs. Utilizing an anonymous online survey, data from 51 respondents were analyzed to explore viewpoints on valuable CTE programs, their influence on career trajectories and education, acquired skills,…

Career and Technical Student Organizations and Career and Technical Education programs in secondary education claim to prepare its students and members for post-secondary success. However, these claims are inherently difficult to study and quantify. By using a synthesis of the literature on emerging adulthood, self-directed learning, and…

As agricultural education propels itself into the 21st century, a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education has been prioritized. While STEM integration has been held in high regard, many employers claim that students lack the necessary STEM-based skills to be successful in an entry-level position. In addition,…

While the scope of a transition toward renewable energy, and away from fossil fuels, as well as other sustainable economic practices is daunting, the United States has recently begun to obtain policy momentum in the push to decouple economic activity from greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This paper presents: (1) an overview of the scope of jobs…

The research being conducted results from the teacher shortage in the Appoquinimink School District, across the State of Delaware and across the United States. There is an alarming teacher shortage in the United States causing a crisis in many states and local school districts. Low enrollment in postsecondary teacher preparation programs, and even…

In Delaware, Career and Technical Education (CTE) prepares students for life beyond high school by providing practical labor skills, workforce credentials, and early post secondary credits. Some CTE students graduate with the distinction as a concentrator, meaning they complete required coursework in a specific career pathway, such as engineering…

This study examined equity and access to career and technical education (CTE) programs. The research used a mixed-methods case study, which explored the factors influencing CTE pathway enrollment at a high school providing CTE education through California Partnership Academies (CPA). The study employed quantitative data sources such as secondary…

Concerns about the poor outcomes from school-based vocational education, which is heavily concentrated in schools serving disadvantaged communities, has led the State Government of Victoria, Australia, to implement major reforms, including abolishing the Victoria Certificate of Applied Learning. Instead, from 2023, learning in vocational education…

While there is a growing body of literature related to the benefits of participation in career and technical education (CTE) in high school, there remains a dearth of causal work in this area. Relying on administrative data from Baltimore City Public Schools, which uses a ranking system with a strict cut score to assign students into CTE-focused…

Young people's decision-making about postschool pathways are influenced and shaped by parents, teachers, and other familiars. Yet, these familiars are often uninformed about vocational education as it has not been part of their personal experience. Instead, they may reflect and further embed the relatively low standing of that option. The lack of…