Pathways to High School Graduation CTE and the Future of the Texas Workforce

College and Career Readiness

In recent years, attending a four-year college or university has become the goal of many high school graduates in Texas.

Students in our state get the message early and often that they should aspire to enroll in a 4-year college program…

... without considering whether that goal aligns with their academic or career goals and will be worth the resource investment over the long term.

goals It’s time we reassess our

There are many higher education options – including but not limited to a 4-year degree.

Students should consider:

• What are my career aspirations? Consider personal interest, current workforce needs, and starting salaries.

• What higher education training do I need in order to achieve these aspirations? Consider the return on investment of time and money in various pathways.

• What high school courses should I take to prepare myself for this training?

Texas high school students need to gain proficiency in 21st century skills, and the state of Texas needs college and workforce-ready graduates for a 21st century economy.

pathway to success…

The truth is, there’s another

In 2010, Texas allocated $250 million in state and federal funds for dropout prevention and recovery initiatives, of which career and technical education (CTE) is an integral part.

Career and Technical Education They’re not your parents’ “vocational” courses

What’s the difference?

  Highly rigorous CTE programs provide academic credit, leadership opportunities, and college credit, and lead to licensure and certification focused on the demands of today’s competitive workforce

  Texas CTE courses are organized by 16 federally defined career clusters, including Health Sciences, IT, and Manufacturing

  In 2010, updated state academic standards and all new CTE courses were implemented in districts throughout the state to support college and career readiness

Source: www.ctat.org

Students who take two or more CTE courses have lower dropout rates, higher graduation rates, better attendance rates and higher test scores than students who take one or no CTE courses.

Source: Texas Education Agency

Why? According to a study sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2006, 81 percent of dropouts responded that “real-world learning” and the opportunity “to see the connection between school and getting a job” may have encouraged them to finish high school.

Source: www.ctat.org

CTE prepares students for the “real world” and the fastest growing Texas occupations.

Source: Texas Workforce Commission

Examples of CTE career fields:

JOB DESCRIPTION SALARY CTE Cluster

Dental Hygienist   $63,200  Health Science

Commercial Pilot   $62,000 Transportation

Registered Nurse $59,700 Health Science

Electrical Repair         $55,600      STEM

Avionics Technician 

$50,500   Transportation

Examples of CTE career fields:

JOB DESCRIPTION SALARY CTE Cluster

Electronic Drafter    $49,500    Manufacturing / Architecture

Aircraft Mechanic $48,900  Engineering

Real Estate Appraiser        

$48,500 Marketing

Mechanical Drafter       $46,600      STEM

Healthcare Practitioner  

$43,100 Health Science

stigma.

Highly rigorous career and technical courses have come a long way since the days of vocational education. It’s time to take another look at how to best meet the needs of our students and our state, and to work to remove the

27 percent of people with post-secondary licenses or certificates earn more than the average bachelor’s degree recipient.

Source: Pathways to Prosperity, Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2011

After all…