One of the biggest struggles for employers is finding and retaining skilled employees. Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs offer educational training and career development pathways to help reduce this issue and are vitally important for manufacturing industry growth.
What is CTE?
Career and Technical Education (CTE) instruction are high school level courses that prepare students for work. Similar to vocational education, CTE focuses more on key industry areas like manufacturing, construction, and healthcare. CTE differs from traditional apprenticeships because it is education offered by high schools, not employers. However, employers can provide input and assistance into what students are learning.
CTE provides students with hands-on learning experiences which are not always found in traditional high school settings, and they offer the chance for students to acquire valuable manufacturing skills that can be used to develop their career paths. Source: https://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/career-technical-education/index.html
How do CTE Programs help Manufacturers?
Manufacturers benefit from being connected to students in CTE programs because they can be perfect entry-level candidates. You can hire these students as interns or apprentices, and you can train them up on-the-job in your factory.
The purpose of a CTE program is to provide students hands-on experiences applicable to the ‘real world.’
This is critical for manufacturers who need to fill open positions. Many CTE students are hired right out of their programs since they already have foundational knowledge that sets them and their employer up for success.
A Leading CTE Program Manufacturers should Know About
Center for Advanced Learning in Gresham, Oregon, is one of 32 programs nationwide that has been recognized for their innovative practices in CTE. OMEP is proud to share the state with these talented students and their inspiring leader, Carol Egan. In a newly released report, Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) discussed the future of CTE.
As the economy rapidly shifts toward automation, there is a growing consensus that while new jobs will be created, change is the new normal.
“Youth need training in soft skills alongside preparation for lifetime learning. Systemic change, not minor improvements, will be necessary. States, districts, and schools are adjusting to the aspirations of “new CTE”—as many are calling this rethinking of career and technical education—and searching for examples of what this can look like.”
At CAL, students learn… ” intangible skills that will prepare students for life after high school. [Carol Egan] sets up her school to provide students with supported independence.
We don’t have hall passes or bells, we treat them as responsible young people. Every year our students give advice for the incoming class. Every the year they say, ‘You will learn time management, how to advocate for yourself, and lots of responsibility.
CAL has also added new programs to align with student interests: one was developed with Adidas America, one of several international athletic companies located in nearby Portland. Adidas helped the school identify equipment needed for their Design2Fab Lab, where students learn how to design, create, and pitch products for the athletic industry.”
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