We hear stories in the news all too often about Americans struggling to find employment, jobs that go unfilled, and a persistent skills gap. Fortunately, career and technical education (CTE) offers a solution to these problems. CTE provides students with the education, skills, and hands-on experience they need to succeed in the 21st century workforce. Just ask these CTE graduates who prove why CTE works:
- It gave me a great introduction to the field, and encouraged me to become an electrical engineer. I have since graduated with a degree in electrical engineering and have a job. — Alex W., Santa Barbara, California
- You don’t need a four-year degree to be successful. If you have the drive and never allow yourself to be comfortable, you’ll be able to grow and take on new challenges in quick succession. — Griff G., Dubuque, Iowa
- I saw a company that’s bringing in people with different types of backgrounds and education levels. The training, support and responsibilities I have been given say to me, ‘We can learn with you, we trust you, and we know you can do it.’ — Joshua K., Austin, Texas
- My life took a dramatic turn when a family member, who was a roofer, suggested I look into the skilled trades as a career path … With the help of my guidance counselor, I found a local career and technical education program. — Paul T., Silver Spring, Maryland
- I had the chance to meet a lot of interesting people and see how they were able to collaborate to make something together. It let me take what I had learned in school and the things I taught myself and put those skills to work. — Gabriel R., Brooklyn, New York
- The hands-on experience really made me believe I could do all of these things well. Somewhere along the way, I thought, ‘Gosh, I’m really good at this’ – and it was something I really loved ... You can draw a pretty straight line from those early marketing classes to where I am today. Those career education programs gave me an opportunity not just to learn things, but to do things. — Jasmine M., Snellville, Georgia
To open doors for more success stories like these, Rep. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA) introduced the
Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (
H.R. 2353). This bipartisan bill — voted
unanimously out of committee — includes positive reforms to improve CTE policies and empower Americans to build successful and fulfilling careers.
To learn about H.R. 2353’s positive reforms, click
here.
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