As the national celebration of Career and Technical Education Month begins, the time is right for a new dialogue about education that values career readiness equally with college acceptance.
The economic future of South Jersey depends on a well-educated and technically trained workforce to support growth in key industry sectors like health care, aviation, manufacturing and hospitality.
To meet these needs, educators, employers, parents, students and policy leaders must abandon outdated images of vocational education and embrace 21st century career and technical education (CTE) as a vital strategy to prepare all types of students for success.
It is also time to change the conversation about CTE from a focus on cost and conflict between school districts to an emphasis on expanding opportunities for students….
All schools and colleges have a role to play in preparing students for career success.
The bottom line is that employers need graduates with technical and scientific skills, strong academic preparation and work-readiness skills…