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What career and technical education means
Under the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, CTE consists of organized educational activities built around a sequence of courses. Those courses provide rigorous academic content alongside relevant technical knowledge and skills for further education and careers in current or emerging professions. The statute also includes applied learning and ways for students to demonstrate technical skill proficiency or earn a recognized credential, certificate, or associate degree. Read the definition in 20 U.S.C. Chapter 44.
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In practical terms, CTE connects what learners study with skills used in particular occupations. It can prepare someone to enter the workforce or continue into further occupational education or training. The Institute of Education Sciences describes CTE as typically offered in high schools, community and technical colleges, and private trade schools. Institute of Education Sciences overview of CTE.
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What makes a program CTE
CTE is not simply any class that mentions a job or teaches a practical skill. The federal definition emphasizes organized educational activities, a course sequence, academic and technical content, and applied learning. Programs may also include opportunities to demonstrate proficiency or earn a credential, but the specific options depend on the program and jurisdiction.
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- Structured pathway: learning is organized into sequenced courses or other educational activities.
- Academic and technical learning: instruction connects academic content with occupation-related knowledge and skills.
- Career and education preparation: the pathway can support entry into a career as well as further education or training.
- Applied learning: students may apply what they learn and demonstrate technical proficiency.
Where CTE is taught and what it covers
CTE is offered at both secondary and postsecondary levels. NCES reporting includes high-school courses and postsecondary subbaccalaureate programs focused on skills and knowledge for particular jobs or fields of work. Its occupational categories include agriculture and natural resources; business support, management, and finance; communications; computer and information sciences; construction; consumer services; education; engineering and architecture; health sciences; manufacturing; marketing; public, social, and protective services; repair; and transportation. NCES: About CTE Statistics.
These are NCES categories for statistical reporting. States, districts, colleges, and individual programs may use different labels or group fields differently.
How CTE relates to vocational education
“Career tech ed” is an informal shortening of “career and technical education.” “Vocational education” is a related term, but it does not by itself establish whether a particular course or program meets the federal definition of CTE. To assess a program, look for a structured sequence, a blend of academic and occupation-related learning, and a stated pathway to career preparation or further education. Federal statutory scope and local program names are not necessarily identical.
Perkins V and the U.S. context
The federal statutory definition applies in the United States. Perkins V—the 2018 reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006—was signed into law on July 31, 2018. U.S. Department of Education: Perkins V.
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What the outcome figures do—and do not—show
NCES reported that among public high-school graduates from the class of 2013 who had enrolled in postsecondary education by June 2021, 14% of CTE concentrators had an associate’s degree as their highest postsecondary degree, compared with 9% of nonconcentrators. For a bachelor’s degree or higher, the figures were 48% for CTE concentrators and 54% for nonconcentrators. These are descriptive results for that cohort, not evidence that CTE caused the differences. NCES: Career and Technical Education in the United States.
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