The Changing Role of CTE and the Nontraditional Indicator: Part One
CTE poster resource
Career and Technical Education (CTE) has undergone a transformative journey since its inception in 1749 at the Academy and College of Philadelphia. Departing from the traditional European educational model, which predominantly focused on classical studies tailored to the sons of affluent landowners, this institution provided a pragmatic curriculum to equip individuals with tangible skills essential for success in the New World. Guided by the visionary leadership of Benjamin Franklin, who served as the president of the Academy's board of trustees, the institution emphasized the sciences and frontier-relevant languages in its constitution. As a result, the Academy produced a cadre of professionals spanning engineering, surveying, medicine, and commerce, whose contributions reverberated in shaping the new Republic. Notably, numerous alumni ascended to positions of influence, serving in the Continental Congress and imprinting their names as signatories of the Declaration of Independence.
The late 19th century witnessed a surge in the prominence of vocational education, culminating in the evolution of CTE as we recognize it today. However, the contemporary discussions transcend the binary distinction between college education and vocational training. Today we acknowledge the interrelationship between the two in developing and sustaining a highly educated and adaptable workforce capable of steering the United States and the global community toward progress and innovation.
In 1984, the enactment of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act (Perkins) marked a pivotal moment in emphasizing the role of technical education in fostering job skills acquisition. Despite considerable strides in education and workforce participation at the time, gender disparities persisted, with women disproportionately relegated to low-paying occupations.
The 1980s encapsulated this reality, characterized by a stark underrepresentation of women in business, political, and leadership roles, and coupled with a persistent wage gap. Perkins advanced a number of goals including adult training, retraining, and employment development with a reservation of specified amounts for programs for single parents or homemakers. The goal was to fast-track single mothers and traditional homemakers into high-paying careers so that they could better care for their children, support their families, and fill many of the workforce vacancies.
Today, the landscape has evolved. Women constitute nearly half of the workforce, the wage gap has narrowed, and substantial progress has been made in business and political representation. While gender inequities persist (necessitating ongoing efforts to dismantle remaining persistent cultural barriers) Perkins V continues to champion equity and access in education and workforce development for all. The incorporation of the nontraditional indicator underscores the imperative of diversifying occupational fields, challenging the remaining entrenched gender biases, and expanding opportunities for all individuals irrespective of gender, race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background.
In Perkins V, the nontraditional indicator has changed from a focus on enrollment and completion to male and female students as program “concentrators”. The recognition of career options for Generation Z students has also changed. Students are often unaware of the historical gender barriers that faced their parents and see no reason to participate in programs that support underrepresented students.
As the culture shifts, so does the role of the nontraditional indicator in our data analysis and program improvement process. What does that mean for the application and use of the nontraditional indicator? Is it still valuable or completely out of date? Next week, we will dive into what we learned over a year of working with schools in their efforts to answer these questions and what we learned.