Career and Technical Education

Career and Technical Education Graphic

What is Career & Technical Education?

  • Encompasses 94 percent of high school student and 12 million postsecondary students

  • Includes high school, career centers, community and technical colleges, four-year universities and more

  • Educates students for a range of career options through 16 Career Clusters and 79+pathways

  • Integrates with academics in a rigorous and relevant curriculum

  • Features high school and postsecondary partnerships, enabling clear pathways to certifications and degrees

  • Fulfills employer needs in high-skill, high-wage, high-demand areas

  • Prepares students to be college- and career-ready by providing core academic skills, employability skills and technical, job-specific skills

CTE Closes the Skills Gap and Addresses the Needs of High-Growth Industries

  • The skilled trades are the hardest jobs to fill in the US, with 645,000 jobs open in the trade, transportation and utilities sector and 253,000 jobs open in manufacturing.

  • Health care occupations, many of which require an associate degree or less, make up 8 of the 20 fastest growing occupations.

  • Middle-skill jobs, jobs that require education and training beyond high school but less than a bachelor degree, are a significant part of the economy. Of the 46.8 million job openings created by 2018, 30 percent will require some college or a two-year associate degree.

Association for Career & Technical Education

Think BIG, sponsored by Gregory Poole Equipment Company in partnership with Caterpillar is for soon-to-be graduates as well as recent graduates within a few years out of High School.  For employment opportunities and to learn about this program click on the links below:

Full Handout 2019

Gregory Poole - Think BIG program

Think BIG ppt