Career and technical educators face significant pressure to rebuild sustainable pipelines of teachers and leaders. Each year, thousands of high school students complete CTE courses that align with college degree programs. But many are unaware of those connections. Nor are they guided toward related postsecondary opportunities. This is one of our greatest challenges: a general lack of awareness among students, families, administrators and school counselors about how high school CTE coursework can transition into higher education.
With labor market analytics, enrollment patterns and workforce projections, educational institutions can create intentional pipelines that take students from exploration to credential completion. When high school curricula reflect regional labor needs and colleges align academic offerings to existing secondary pathways, students have a clearer, more accessible pathway toward meaningful, career-ready education. This kind of coordination makes middle and high school programs more relevant, expands equitable access, and increases the number of graduates going into high-demand fields.
Ultimately, building data-informed pipelines for CTE is not just about increasing enrollment; rather, it is about increasing visibility, access and continuity. It is about connecting the dots between what students learn in middle and high school and what they can accomplish in college and the workforce.
The challenge
Nationwide shortages of CTE educators create significant challenges for school districts and workforce development efforts. Many states report persistent vacancies, reliance on emergency credentials and limited applicant pools for CTE positions (ACTE, 2024). Rural and economically disadvantaged regions experience even steeper challenges: both lower recruitment rates and higher turnover.
The shortage extends beyond classroom teaching. As many veteran educators retire, school districts lack a strong pipeline of CTE leaders ready to take on administrative and director-level roles, as well as state leadership positions. Research has indicated that educator preparation programs in many fields are not yielding enough completers to keep up with retirements and workforce growth (U.S. Department of Education, 2022).
These shortages reduce program quality, decrease student access to in-demand career pathways, and threaten the stability of local and regional workforce systems. And we must act with intention.
The NMSU approach
New Mexico State University’s Department of Family and Consumer Sciences has responded to these challenges by developing and continuously refining a data-informed model that intertwines career exploration, early recruitment, leadership development and focus documents to highlight pipelines from middle school through college.
In all CTE programs, stronger pathways will depend on coordination across secondary and postsecondary systems. Linked are middle school exploratory learning, high school CTE programs, dual credit opportunities, and FCS degree pathways to build a sustainable pipeline of future educators and leaders in the FCS field.
Innovative recruitment
Effective CTE recruitment must begin with strong data. NMSU FCS uses regional labor market data to identify high-demand occupations, workforce shortages and changing industry needs. This evidence-based approach informs recruitment materials, degree program adjustments and advising strategies.
NMSU also uses enrollment data provided by the New Mexico Public Education Department to study trends across FCS programs of study such as teaching and training, consumer services, counseling and mental health, early childhood development, personal care services, lodging, restaurants and food services, and travel and tourism. This data should be made available in every state for every CTE program of study.
Building on this data foundation, NMSU strengthens recruitment by leveraging strategic partnerships with school districts, community organizations and industry. Targeted recruitment that is aligned with workforce needs will showcase in-demand careers while creating direct pathways for high school students into postsecondary FCS programs.
Active outreach includes campus visits, involvement in high school career fairs, summer camps, and presentations to counselors, administrators, and teachers. This work can help ensure that recruitment is timely, relevant and responsive. Educators can create an intentional and inclusive career preparation ecosystem.
Early exposure to FCS careers
Early exposure is one of the strongest predictors of long-term success in FCS. The NMSU FCS model introduces pathway experiences to students as early as middle school. NMSU works with districts to embed CTE exploration workshops, giving students relevant exposure to human development, nutrition, food science, fashion and design, and family and consumer sciences education. Such experiences increase early interest and assist students in making appropriate choices about their future career direction.
Developing future CTE leaders
Long-term sustenance depends on the future leaders who will guide CTE systems at the program, district and state levels. NMSU FCS embeds leadership development throughout its undergraduate and graduate offerings to support this objective. These strategies help ensure that CTE systems have a robust and diverse pipeline of leaders prepared to advance high-quality programs aligned with regional workforce priorities.
Key strategies include:
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- Training educators to interpret and use data in program design, improvement and workforce alignment.
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- Preparing future professionals to lead, communicate, develop partnerships and think in systems.
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- Conducting professional development, including stackable credentials and certificates, for practicing teachers to help them assume leadership roles.
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- Offering mentorship and networking opportunities with district partners, advisory committees and state agencies.
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- Supporting clinical teaching experience with stipends for student teachers.
Replicating the model beyond New Mexico
CTE programs nationwide can replicate aspects of the NMSU FCS model regardless of geography or institutional size.
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- Create data feedback loops. Use regional labor market information — not just statewide or national data — to assess program offerings in relation to workforce needs.
- Formalize vertical alignment across middle school through college. Collaborate with secondary educators, administrators, and school counselors to implement CTE exploration initiatives at the middle school level. This creates a link between middle school, high school CTE programs, and postsecondary pathways.
- Build grow-your-own teacher pipelines. Collaborate with secondary education leaders to support future educator programs in high-need CTE fields. Include dual credit courses, mentorship and structured advising toward educator licensure.
- Simplify transitions and strengthen articulation. Establish articulation agreements that guarantee full transfer of every eligible high school CTE credit — particularly those linked to an industry certification or dual enrollment in related college programs.
- Enhance partnerships with industry and community. Engage industry leaders and workforce boards in keeping the programs current, building internship opportunities and informing curricular alignment.
The time to act is now.
Now that we acknowledge these pipelines hold significant potential, postsecondary educators must engage as proactive leaders in making them stronger. For too long, colleges and universities have waited for students to find their own way to FCS and other CTE programs. Instead, institutions of higher education must build bridges through innovative collaboration.
First, it means visibility and communication. Higher education leaders can create clear, accessible pathways into student-friendly messaging; for example, how does high school coursework connect to college degree and career opportunities?
The next step lies in creating dual credit and articulation agreements. So that students are earning college credit while they are in high school. This can help alleviate financial and logistical barriers to continued education.
Furthermore, events held on campus — such as career exploration days, CTE showcases, or hands-on workshops — allow secondary students, teachers, administrators and school counselors to experience university programs firsthand. Each of these efforts strengthens partnerships with school districts. They also create a culture of continuity. Students begin to envision themselves as future college graduates and professionals within the CTE fields.
Conclusion
The challenge of CTE educator shortages requires strategic, long-term solutions. The NMSU model offers a replicable framework grounded in data, alignment and structured collaboration, elements essential for statewide system improvement.
Data-driven alignment ensures programs reflect regional labor needs. Early pathway exposure increases student interest and participation. Dual credit and articulation remove barriers to credential completion. Leadership development prepares the future administrators and directors essential to CTE stability.
Together, these components form a coordinated, efficient talent pipeline that reduces teacher shortages and strengthens the state’s workforce infrastructure.
Investing in early recruitment, articulation systems and leadership development is not simply program enhancement. It is an economic and workforce imperative. By expanding coordinated pathways and supporting “Grow Your Own” educator initiatives, states can secure a diverse, well-prepared CTE workforce equipped to lead high-quality programs aligned with industry demand.
The path forward is clear: strategic investment, strong partnerships and sustained commitment to data-driven CTE pathways.
Jamie L. Molina, Ph.D., has served in education for 14 years as a high school family and consumer sciences teacher and district CTE director. She is currently an assistant professor and program director of family and consumer sciences education at New Mexico State University.
Kelley C. Coffeen, Ph.D., is a writer and a marketing professional with experience in foundation development in higher education. She is currently an associate professor in fashion and design at New Mexico State University.
