As countless headlines have blared recently, there is a growing demand for what are often called "middle-skill" jobs. Jobs that require more than high school typically but less than a baccalaureate degree; jobs that pay well. Just this week, the USAToday reported on, "Where the jobs are: The new blue collar."   

Career and technical education (CTE) is the starting point for these and other occupations. But not all CTE we find in today's public schools provides the proper beginning of a career pathway -- a pathway that builds on credentials business and industry recognize and value. What is needed is a revisioning of CTE to meet the more challenging demands of providing students with the skills they need to move through a viable career pathway and continue their education and training to make that pathway a reality. What is needed is high-quality CTE.  

Numerous organizations have explicitly or implicitly laid out their vision of what high-quality CTE should look like. I have shared some of these with you in the past. The newest entrant to engage this conversation is the AFT (American Federation of Teachers). This month's publication of the American Educator includes articles from a number of scholars and practitioners adding their voices to this important conversation. As the lead author notes: 

In recent years, a well-intentioned push for all students to earn four-year degrees has resulted in limiting, rather than expanding, educational opportunities. A strictly academic curriculum has been prioritized to the detriment of career and technical education (CTE), which provides the link between the needs of the labor market and the needs of young people to be prepared for life after high school. Because of its potential to engage students, CTE is now experiencing renewed interest as a viable option for students both career and college bound. 

I encourage you to check out the articles.  As always, I enjoy hearing from you - please email me at [email protected] if you'd like to talk about this article or share your thoughts on high-quality CTE.