Posts Tagged 'labor market'
Major New Research Highlights Value of CTE (Part II)
In Part II, we dive into the Thomas B. Fordham Institute's newest report, "Career and Technical Education in High School: Does It Improve Student Outcomes?" Provocative title notwithstanding, the report's short answer is: Yes.
The report opens with a caveat that CTE is not a meaningful prat of students' high school experience, and unlike most industrialized countries, it has been chronically neglected by leaders and policymakers.
"American students face a double-whammy: Not only do they lack access to high-quality secondary CTE, but then they are subject to a 'bachelor's degree or bust' mentality," the report states. "And many do bust, dropping out of college with no degree, no work skills, no work experience and a fair amount of debt."
But according to data examined by University of Connecticut's Shaun M. Dougherty, students do benefit from CTE coursework, in particular those course sequences aligned to certain industries. Based on the report's findings, it calls for policymakers and education leaders across the country to invest more heavily – and strategically – in high school CTE, and to reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins CTE Act and increase federal support for high-quality, labor market-aligned programs that are available and appealing to all students.
The report's findings will be discussed on April 14 in Washington, DC, and will also be streamed. Register here to hear from the report's author and Arkansas State CTE Director Charisse Childers, among others.  The study uses the wealth of secondary, postsecondary and labor market data from the Arkansas Research Center to better understand the state of CTE, both of those students who take CTE courses and those who take three or more CTE courses within a career field.
Key findings include:
Students with greater CTE exposure are more likely to graduate from high school, enroll in a two-year college, be employed and earn higher wages.
CTE students are just as likely to pursue a four-year degree as their peers. There was little evidence of "tracking."
The more CTE courses students take, the better their education and labor market outcomes. Among other positive outcomes, CTE concentrators are more likely to graduate high school by 21 percentage points when compared to otherwise similar students.
Though white and female students are more likely to concentrate, CTE provides the greatest boost to students who need it most – males and students from low-income families.
The report offers recommendations similar to what has taken place in Arkansas:
Examine state labor market projections to identify high-growth industries
Offer CTE courses aligned to skills and industry-recognized credentials in these fields and encourage (or require) high school students to take them)
Encourage (or require) students take a concentration of CTE courses
Support and encourage dual enrollment and make credits "stackable" from high school into college, so that high school CTE courses count toward specific postsecondary credentials
Andrea Zimmermann, State Policy Associate
By Andrea Zimmermann in Research, Uncategorized
Tags: Arkansas, concentators, Data, fordham institute, labor market
CTE Research Review: The Workforce Edition
Transforming Workforce Development Policies
A new book from the Kansas City Federal Reserve calls for a comprehensive restructuring of the nation's workforce development policies and programs to better meet the human capital demands of employers. This compilation of submissions from some of the most prominent thought leaders in workforce development policy today, the Federal Reserve is wading into a relatively new area of research but one where it plans to continue being actively involved.
"Transforming U.S. Workforce Development Policies for the 21st Century," provides thoughtful perspectives on the system itself as well as how to redesign these strategies and evidence-based policies and practices.
The Role of CTE
What and who has the greatest impact on students and their career choices? This is the central question of a new report, "Attracting the Next
Generation Workforce: The Role of Career and Technical Education," from The Manufacturing Institute, SkillsUSA and Educational Research Center of America. The study, which surveyed more than 20,000 high school students enrolled in CTE programs of study, also aims to provide insight into students' perceptions of the value of CTE preparation.
Overwhelmingly (64 percent), students cited their own interests and experiences as the greatest influence on their future careers. The second and third greatest influences were a student's father (22 percent) and mother (19 percent). Perhaps surprisingly, guidance counselors accounted for 3 percent –the least important influence on a student's career choice.
So how did students perceive the value of CTE preparation for the future careers? While 47 percent of all CTE students surveyed said that CTE has helped make their career choices clearer, that number rises significantly for CTE students who also participate in a CTSO or are members of SkillsUSA. Also, those students engaged in CTSOs are nearly 50 percent more likely to pursue a technical career in the field they are studying, according to the survey.
Check out the report to learn about how students are exposed to future employers as well as educators' perceptions of CTE.
Also new from The Manufacturing Institute is a tool that can help educators make the case for work-based learning and employer partnerships. The tool – a return on investment calculator – is designed to help manufacturers calculate the cost of open positions within a company by factoring in costs across several categories including training, recruiting, human resources and operations.
Also Worth the Read:
Building Career Pathways for Adult Learners: From the Joyce Foundation, an eight-year evaluation of the Shifting Gears initiative in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Engaging Employers on Workforce Data: Case studies from the Workforce Data Quality Campaign about how employers are playing a significant role in developing and informing state data systems.
Using Post-college Labor Market Outcomes: From the CLASP's Center for Postsecondary and Economic Success, a look at the challenges of using post-college earnings data in accountability systems
Building an HVACR Workforce Pipeline: From the HVACR Workforce Development Foundation, a look at what instructors and employers are saying about the pipeline of HVACR workers
Performance Reporting and Related Challenges of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act: From the Government Accountability Office
By Andrea Zimmermann in Research
Tags: adults, career pathways, employers, HVAC, labor market, manufacturing, skillsusa, WIOA, work-based learning, workforce development
In case you missed it, the Center for Analysis of Postsecondary Education and Employment, CAPSEE, has a slew of new reports focused on labor market outcomes for postsecondary education and certificates. Three of particular interest are:
The Early Impact of Postsecondary Career and Technical Education: Do Workers Earn More in Occupations Related to Their College Major?
The Value of Postsecondary Credentials in the Labor Market: An Experimental Study
What about Certificates? Evidence on the Labor Market Returns to Non-Degree Community College Awards in Two States
New Briefs from ECS
Education Commission of the States has released a series of new briefs that may be of interest to the CTE community such as college guidance and student transitions. Be sure to explore the research database for new studies including a new examination of career professionals-turned-teachers.
O*NET Database Updated
The National O*NET Center has completed its annual update to their Tools and Technology database, which includes more than 60,000 tools and technologies and covers the 900+ occupations in its current taxonomy. Check it out today!
Tags: CAPSEE, certificates, college guidance, credentials, ECS, labor market, O*NET
Career Clustersâ"¢ Institute Recap: Perkins Reauthorization Blueprint Discussion of State-Level Implications
The National Career Clusters™ Institute is an annual summer event that offers a range of seminars and workshops highlighting model CTE programs across the country that are aligned to the National Career Clusters Framework ™. This blog series provides a recap of the broad range of information shared over the course of the event, which took place June 18 – 20 in Washington, DC.
During this session, officials from the Office of Vocational and Adult Education walked through the Obama Administration's blueprint for Perkins reauthorization and the proposed reform models that they believe will positively impact the way that states develop, administer, implement, and evaluate local CTE programs. These reforms include things such as mandatory local consortia, within state competition to distribute funds, common definitions for accountability, and state conditions for receipt of funds.
NASDCTEc supports the themes encompassed in the Perkins Blueprint—alignment, collaboration, accountability and innovation — as is reflected in our recently released Federal Policy Priorities. We would like to see a greater emphasis in the next federal CTE legislation on the strong work that the community is doing around programs of study, a link to labor market needs, greater collaboration between partners, stronger and more effective accountability linkages, and additional funding for innovation.
We do, however, have some concerns about the details in the Blueprint, some of which were voiced by attendees during the question and answer portion of the session. For example, attendees remarked that if the next Perkins includes common measures, it is important that there is a way to track students across states. States also asked for federal support and funding to implement this effectively.
Regarding consortia, we heard about the structure that Minnesota is using for consortia where secondary and postsecondary partners are each fiscal agents, which seems to be working for that state. However, there was a variety of concerns about consortia, including the fear that those with the most resources would have better applications than those with fewer resources. Others pointed out that consortia with fewer resources also cannot afford technology to link partners across the state. There was also concern that the move to consortia will limit students to regional opportunities, rather than statewide programs.
In regards to the focus on in-demand industries, some attendees asked the Department for more assistance to better serve areas in their state where there are no job opportunities in in-demand industries, and to help bridge the disconnect between high poverty areas and in-demand local industries.  Others were concerned that the focus on in-demand and high growth industries will exclude some states' core industries.
Funding was another area that attendees were worried about. There was fear that the shift to competitive funding will create winners and losers among local programs. Some also pointed out that local teachers and administrators do not have time to work on applications for competitive grants because they are busy serving students. Competitive funding was seen as appropriate for an innovation fund, but not the Basic State Grant. Attendees also stated that taking 10 percent out of the Basic State Grant for an innovation fund means that fewer CTE programs will be funded.
Nancy Conneely, Public Policy Manager
By Nancy in Public Policy
Tags: accountability, Data, federal legislation, funding, Innovation, labor market, OVAE, partnerships, Perkins, programs of study, Public Policy
Department's Perkins Reauthorization Proposal Raises Questions and Concerns
Yesterday Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and OVAE Assistant Secretary Brenda Dann-Messier unveiled Investing in America's Future: A Blueprint for Transforming Career and Technical Education at Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny, Iowa. This Blueprint outlines the Obama Administration's plan for reauthorizing the Perkins Act, and revolves around the following four themes:
Alignment: Effective alignment between high-quality CTE programs and labor market needs to equip students with 21st-century skills and prepare them for in-demand occupations in high-growth industry sectors;
Collaboration: Â Strong collaborations among secondary and postsecondary institutions, employers, and industry partners to improve the quality of CTE programs;
Accountability: Meaningful accountability for improving academic outcomes and building technical and employability skills in CTE programs for all students, based upon common definitions and clear metrics for performance; and
Innovation: Â Increased emphasis on innovation supported by systemic reform of state policies and practices to support CTE implementation of effective practices at the local level.
While we support the themes encompassed in the Blueprint, we worry that the details related to each of these areas could have an adverse affect on CTE programs. For example, the proposal to award funds to consortia on a competitive basis could result in decreased, inequitable student access to high-quality CTE programs. You can read our joint statement with ACTE here. We will provide more detailed analysis in the coming days.
For more information from the Department of Education, you can access a summary of the Blueprint, as well as their press release.
 Nancy Conneely, Public Policy Manager
By Nancy in Legislation, Public Policy
Tags: accountability, business and industry partnerships, Equity, federal legislation, funding, Innovation, labor market, Legislation, OVAE, Perkins, Public Policy, Secondary, Secretary Duncan, technical skills
December "CTE Monthly" Newsletter: New CTE Reports, Finance Career Spotlight
Thursday, January 5th, 2012
CTE Monthly, a collaborative publication from the Association for Career and Technical Education and the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium, features the latest news on Career Technical Education (CTE) from across the nation for CTE stakeholders and Members of Congress.
The latest edition highlights two recent reports: the first focuses on Career Clustersâ"¢ and the labor market, and the second argues for greater collaboration between education and workforce agencies.
The newsletter's "Career Spotlight" section features the Finance Career Cluster™ and describes a high school in Alabama that prepares its CTE students through a partnership with a local bank.
Lastly, learn more about a community college that the Aspen Institute calls "the nation's best."
Access the December 2011 CTE Monthly here. To view past newsletters, visit our advocacy tools Web page.
Kara Herbertson, Education Policy Analyst
By Kara in Publications, Resources
Tags: Career Clusters®, community colleges, Finance, labor market, newsletter
Report Examines Education Globally, Finds CTE Worth the Investment
Wednesday, September 21st, 2011
In this year's annual Education at a Glance report, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) found that students participating in "vocational education" have much higher employment rates (8.5 percent) than their general education peers. Based on these and other findings, the OECD report concluded that "Investments in vocational education is money well spent in most countries."
The report examines various aspects of education across the globe, including educational output and the impact of learning, investments in education, and the organization of schools.
A chapter of this year's report delves into labor market outcomes between general education and "vocational or technical education" through a pilot study of several countries, not including the United States. Still, the findings made clear that Career Technical Education (CTE) is an often-used strategy for preparing students around the world for high-demand careers.
Findings from the report's analysis section include:
Vocational education and training is chosen by an average of around 50 percent of students in upper secondary education
Pre-vocational and vocational graduation rates are over 70 percent in Austria, Belgium, Finland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Switzerland
Across upper secondary vocational programs in the countries examined, over half of boys graduated from engineering, manufacturing and construction programs. One-third of girls studied social sciences, business, and law, followed closely by health industries and service occupations
About one-third of the adult population across these countries attained a vocational upper secondary education
Young, vocationally-educated individuals have substantially higher employment rates (8.5 percentage points) than their counterparts with a general education
Click here to view this year's report. CTE-specific information begins on page 33.
By Kara in News, Research, Resources
Tags: labor market, OECD