Not every student wants to go to college, but they want more out of life than a high school diploma can deliver. Imagine, for them, getting training and educational credit for well-paying jobs before they even graduate.

That’s the promise of career and technical education (CTE). CTE programs offer students hands-on learning either on campus or at a career technical center where teenagers can get academic credits if they pursue higher learning.

According to Children First research, CTE also boosts high school graduation rates and directs students to additional learning, like a professional certification, associate’s degree, or a four-year education. Nearly every (96%) PA student who completes at least two CTE courses graduates high school on time and 90% go on to postsecondary education.

At a Children First meeting with PA Senator Rosemary Brown (R – 40), horticulture student Abygail Borger from the Monroe Career & Technical Institute, raved about her program. “Through my Tech, I have nine credits that I can apply to college. I love the program.”

Sadly, there aren’t a lot of students like Abygail. Less than 7% of PA high school students are enrolled in programs to boost their career trajectory. An estimated 27,000 PA students are on waiting lists for programs that could streamline them into stable careers in construction, agriculture, mechanics, IT, hospitality, and more.

“Our CTE programs are incredibly important because they provide young adults with the skills they need for good-paying, family-sustaining jobs. Unfortunately, thousands of students are being turned away or wait-listed for these programs.,” said state representative Aerion Abney (D-Allegheny County). Rep. Abney sponsored a resolution requiring the state to study the problem and recommend solutions. His resolution passed by a vote of 200 to one in July and we await the findings.

Where Governor Shapiro has needed to use his expert political skills to win historic gains in funding for traditional public schools, he’s found more willing partners in both parties to boost career training for high school students evidenced by the $65 million in new funding for apprenticeship and workforce training programs he’s proudly released since taking his oath of office two years ago.

Senator Brown and her fellow Republican state senator, Tracy Pennycuick, are ardent CTE supporters and fought with us to add $30 million in the 2024-25 state budget specifically for career readiness learning. Even the America First Policy Institute, chaired by President-elect Trump’s pick for Education Secretary, Linda McMahon, has a goal to “establish vocational education in every high school across the country.”

Wow. CTE is so impressive that even Republicans AND Democrats agree.

CTE, unfortunately, mirrors mainstream K-12 education with problems like insufficient funding, teacher shortages, and administrative challenges as the Children First report, Career and Technical Education: A Pathway to Success for PA Students and Economy, shows.

Local school districts cover 88% of CTE costs. They literally can’t afford the skyrocketing expense of modern industry standard equipment and materials, so CTE students train on outdated equipment, making them less competitive when they enter the workforce. The price tag for medical equipment in health sciences, computers for graphic design, and devices used in advanced manufacturing have reached all-time highs. For example, a single piece of sheet metal used in a welding class is now $700, up from $200 just a few years ago.

On top of that, it’s hard to recruit and retain CTE teachers because, in spite of being experts in their field, they have to earn teaching credentials at their own expense and on their own time. That’s a real logistical and financial barrier for busy professionals or skilled retirees, especially when CTE instructions aren’t paid very much to begin with.

For Pennsylvania to stay competitive and prepare students for 21st century jobs, we need to build a dynamic career-related learning system by:

• Increasing state CTE funding to end student waitlists and boost the percentage of participating high school students from 7% to 50%.
• Creating an office to coordinate the various CTE stakeholders at the state, regional, and local levels to operate from a common framework.
• Reforming teacher certification policies to attract and retain experts in their field as instructors.

CTE students get to learn while doing, build a foundation of marketable skills, and save money on higher education by earning college credits. With all of the partisanship, CTE is one of the few places where lawmakers can easily find common ground.