Career & Technical Education

Read more about classes and programs that are designed to prepare students for work

Explainer

High school seniors Alex Yates, left, and David Romero work on an assembly line machine in a mechatronics class in the career and technical education program at Warren County High School in McMinnville, Tenn., in 2017. The technology skills they learn in the class help prepare them for jobs in the area’s booming automotive industry.
What Is Career and Technical Education, Anyway?
Find answers to eight commonly asked questions about career and technical education here.
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Genny Willis, the Academy Teacher instructor at Smyrna High School, listens to a roundtable of students in the program in a classroom in Smyrna, Del., on Oct. 15, 2024. At Smyrna High School, there are career pathways and experimental learning opportunities to help students use practical applications towards careers after graduating high school, which can include internships, advanced classes, and specific on the job training.
Genny Willis, an instructor at Smyrna High School in Smyrna, Del., listens to a roundtable of students on Oct. 15, 2024. At Smyrna High School, there are career pathways and experimental learning opportunities to help students use practical applications towards careers after graduating high school, which can include internships, advanced classes, and specific on-the-job training.
Michelle Gustafson for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness High School Grads Lack Clarity on Next Steps, Survey Shows
Recent high school graduates share insights on what would have changed their trajectory in a new survey.
Elizabeth Heubeck, May 20, 2025
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4 min read
Jessica Arrow, a play-based learning kindergarten teacher, talks with her students about squirrels during class at Symonds Elementary School in Keene, N.H. on Nov. 7, 2024.
Jessica Arrow, a play-based learning kindergarten teacher, talks with her students about squirrels during class at Symonds Elementary School in Keene, N.H. on Nov. 7, 2024.
Sophie Park for Education Week
Teaching Profession How These 4 Teachers Go Above and Beyond for Their Students and Colleagues
During Teacher Appreciation Week, we showcase inspiring examples of committed teachers.
Elizabeth Heubeck, May 7, 2025
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8 min read
Then and Now, JD Vance, manufacturing, trade schools and jobs
Liz Yap via Canva with Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP<br/>
College & Workforce Readiness Then & Now Why JD Vance’s Changing Rhetoric on Tariffs Matters for Schools
In a 2017 Education Week interview, Vance said education, not protectionism, is key to a strong American workforce.
Evie Blad, April 11, 2025
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7 min read
Jailer BS
College & Workforce Readiness Video This High School Program Is Preparing Students to Be Detention Officers
For high school students interested in fields in criminal justice, this district’s program gives them the opportunity to graduate with a job in the field.
Lauren Santucci, March 25, 2025
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3:01
College & Workforce Readiness Spotlight Spotlight on CTE and Beyond: Expanding Opportunities for Students
This Spotlight will help you explore innovative approaches to CTE, real-world learning experiences, and more.
March 21, 2025
Photograph of a Black male teacher writing on a whiteboard table with a group of diverse high school or college students.
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College & Workforce Readiness The College Board Adds Two New AP Courses. Here’s What Makes Them Different
The College Board is launching career-focused AP courses in business and cybersecurity to equip students with real-world skills.
Alyson Klein, March 19, 2025
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11 min read
Hard hat on a stack of books, next to a wrench and screwdriver.
iStock/Getty
College & Workforce Readiness Not Your Parents' CTE: How Career and Technical Education Is Evolving
School districts are redefining CTE to expose students to a broad range of potential careers.
Elizabeth Heubeck, March 13, 2025
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5 min read
Lazaro Lopez, associate superintendent for teaching and learning at High School District 214, visits the manufacturing lab at Wheeling High School, where he talks with students and their instructor, in Wheeling, Ill., on Dec. 3, 2024.
Lazaro Lopez, associate superintendent for teaching and learning at High School District 214, visits the manufacturing lab at Wheeling High School, where he talks with students and their instructor, in Wheeling, Ill., on Dec. 3, 2024.
Jamie Kelter Davis for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness Leader To Learn From This Leader Made the Tagline 'Discover Your Future' Real for Students. Here's How
Lazaro Lopez was the architect of an early national career-pathway model that is still reaping dividends for students.
Lauraine Langreo, February 3, 2025
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12 min read
High school student Aaron Bartsch, 17, helps unload tools from a work van before working in a customer’s home as part of an internship with Barkley Heating and Air in Smyrna, Del., on October 15, 2024.
High schooler Aaron Bartsch, 17, helps unload tools from a work van before working in a customer’s home as part of an internship with Barkley Heating and Air in Smyrna, Del., on Oct. 15, 2024. His high school offers career pathways so students can get a taste of real-world, experiential learning.
Michelle Gustafson for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness Boys Think School Is a Waste of Time. Career Pathways Prove Them Wrong
Real-world, experiential learning appeals to how boys learn best, educators say.
Elizabeth Heubeck, January 27, 2025
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7 min read
Students in Miranda Baxter’s Welding Program work on projects at the Journey Career Center on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023, in Bakersfield, Calif.
Students in Miranda Baxter’s Welding Program work on projects at the Journey Career Center on Jan. 11, 2023, in Bakersfield, Calif. Career and technical education is rising in popularity among students, but qualified teachers remain hard to find.
Morgan Lieberman for Education Week
Recruitment & Retention CTE Grows in Popularity Among Students, But Teachers Are Tough to Find
As career and technology education becomes more popular among students, schools struggle to fill teaching vacancies.
Elizabeth Heubeck, January 24, 2025
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5 min read
Young girl working on an electrical panel in a classroom setting.
iStock/Getty
Federal Most Voters Reject Trump’s Push to Cut U.S. Education Department, Poll Finds
Career-connected learning has broad support from voters across the political spectrum, according to the survey.
Alyson Klein, January 22, 2025
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3 min read
Student with books and laptop computer
iStock/Getty
Curriculum 7 Curriculum Trends That Defined 2024
From religious-themed mandates to reading to career prep, take a look at what EdWeek covered in curriculum in 2024.
Sarah Schwartz, December 13, 2024
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9 min read
A teenager contemplates his career path. Career Technical Education.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
Recruitment & Retention Opinion There’s a Stunning Oversight in CTE: Careers in Education
Teachers are a core part of our workforce—but you wouldn’t know it to look at CTE programs. School leaders must start growing their own.
Sharif El-Mekki, November 12, 2024
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5 min read
David Coleman, CEO of the College Board, speaks at the organization's annual conference in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 21, 2024.
David Coleman, CEO of the College Board, speaks at the organization's annual conference in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 21, 2024. Long an institution invested in preparing students for college, the College Board increasingly has an eye on illuminating career options.
Ileana Najarro/Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness Can the AP Model Work for CTE? How the College Board Is Embracing Career Prep
The organization known for AP courses and the SAT is getting more involved in helping students explore potential careers.
Ileana Najarro, October 22, 2024
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5 min read
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