College and Career Readiness . . . For ALL

“Career and Technical Education (CTE) is for students who aren’t college-bound.”

“CTE isn’t really education, it’s job training.”

“CTE is training for entry-level job skills, not for post-secondary education.”

The list of misperceptions could continue to go on – and we all have heard them.

In an educational world in which college and career readiness is at the forefront of determining the success of not only students, but also school districts as a whole, I am here to tell you that CTE is at the HEART of preparing young minds to be college and career ready.  Despite the multitude of misperceptions and myths, it is through intentional, career-focused program development that CTE can offer the 21st century student a jump start towards his/her future like no other educational initiative around today.

In order for CTE buildings to truly capture the power behind helping students prepare for their post-secondary plans, it is essential that college and career readiness is approached using a systemic, data-driven program that is student-centered and is grounded on the concept of equity and access for ALL students.  When this systemic approach is done accurately, a culture and climate of college/career readiness begins to develop so that helping students successfully navigate their future career goals becomes the standard mode of operation for everyone involved.

Opportunities are constantly being created in CTE to put today’s students in a position to get a head start on their college and career preparation.  This preparation emphasizes all aspects of student success because the technical skills are just as important to understand as the soft skills, and the resume-building is just as an important first step as the interview preparation, and the experience that comes with on-the-job training is just as important as the network that is developed through these experiences.  Again, the list could go on and on.

Through a CTE college/career readiness approach we have students who will graduate high school with college credits and/or degrees.  We have students who will earn certifications that will allow them to instantly be employed so they can work while attending college classes.  We have students who will gain real-life experiences through work-based opportunities that will develop their network and appreciation for their future profession.  These are just some of the educational trends that will have the biggest impact on 21st century students.

The opportunities that CTE can now offer students has changed the face of education.  Seniors are graduating high school with degrees, certifications and experiences that are going to better prepare them for their post-secondary plans because they have already started developing their career paths with potentially less debt, and more experience.  By offering these opportunities, many students who once felt as though they were not college material come to realize that they are capable of earning a college certification or degree.  This change in mindset is just the beginning of how 21st century students will begin to view, and approach, education differently.

Terri Tchorzynski
2017 National School Counselor of the Year
Calhoun Area Career Center
Battle Creek, MI