When I talk about building a vocational high school in Orange County, I’m not talking about bringing back “shop class from the 1970s.” I’m talking about modern Career & Technical Education (CTE) that combines solid academics with real-world skills, industry credentials, and a clear path into good-paying jobs or further education.
Here are 10 facts about today’s vocational/CTE high schools:
1. It’s more than “shop class” now. What most of us used to call “vocational school” is now Career & Technical Education (CTE). The U.S. Department of Education defines CTE as programs that blend academics with hands-on training for high-skill, high-wage, in-demand careers.
2. Most students already take at least one CTE class. National data show that the majority of U.S. public high school graduates earn at least one CTE credit, and many become “CTE concentrators” by taking multiple classes in the same field.
3. CTE students are very likely to graduate. Across the country, high school students who concentrate in CTE have an average graduation rate of about 96%, compared with a national rate of roughly 85%.
4. CTE helps keep kids engaged and in school. Studies show that students in strong CTE programs are more engaged and less likely to drop out than similar students who don’t focus in CTE.
5. CTE doesn’t close the door to college. CTE concentrators are just as likely—or slightly more likely—to go on to college as students who don’t take CTE, and many programs are designed to lead into community college, apprenticeships, or university pathways.
6. CTE students tend to do better in the job market. A recent evidence review funded by the U.S. Department of Education found that high school CTE students are more likely to be employed and often earn higher wages after graduation than similar students without CTE.
7. Today’s vocational schools mix academics and real skills. Modern CTE programs are required to include solid academic content (reading, writing, math, problem-solving) alongside technical training, and they are built to lead toward industry-recognized credentials, certificates, or degrees. 8. Students can graduate with industry certifications in hand. State reports show that many CTE students finish high school having already earned industry credentials—for example in healthcare, IT, construction, safety, or other trades—before they ever walk across the stage.
9. States with strong vocational high schools see real success. In places like Massachusetts, regional vocational-technical high schools often have graduation rates at or above the state average, and their graduates move into college, apprenticeships, or skilled work in large numbers.
10. Vocational high schools are part of the answer to the skilled trades shortage. National and state reports point to CTE and vocational programs as a key way to address shortages of electricians, plumbers, welders, automotive technicians, healthcare workers, and advanced manufacturing techs, by aligning high school training directly with local workforce needs.
Sources:
- U.S. Department of Education – Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE), CTE definitions and overview
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), high school CTE participation data
- Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), CTE Works! fact sheets and research summaries
- American Institutes for Research / U.S. Department of Education evidence review on secondary CTE and student outcomes
- State CTE reports (including North Carolina credential reports) on industry-recognized credentials earned in high school
- Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), data and reports on regional vocational-technical high schools
- National and state labor market reports on skilled trades shortages (electricians, plumbers, construction, healthcare, advanced manufacturing)
