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| Career and Technical Education | In the past, more attention was paid to vocational education. Girls made aprons in sewing classes and boys made cutting boards in woodworking shop. Nowadays more attention is paid to core academic skills, such as math, science and English and the specific skills necessary for the future career.
In the past, vocational education was chosen by students who had difficulties with studing academic courses. Nowadays according to the laws, there are current career and technical programs that enable the students to be engaged in any desired occupation in the future.
Today’s career education is more expanded. Students are involved in an automotive repair business; they acquire technical computer skills and the skills of problem solving, the estimation of time and costs for repairs and the repair of the brockage. There are career and technical education programs at the secondary and community college those purpose is to fill the needs of local industries and businesses.
Career, technical, and occupational skills programs are also known as “vocational education,” “vocational-technical education,” “practical arts,” and “career and technical education.”
Such vocational-technical programs are provided at such educational institutions as:
• middle schools
• high schools
• two-year community or technical colleges
• private schools
• colleges and universities
These educational institutions teach knowledge and skills necessary for a chosen career and prepare for additional educational opportunities. The primary legislative act responsible for various career and technical programs is the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006. According to this act, different technical programs are incorporated in the educational process. It is either a four-year program (2 years of secondary education and 2 years of postsecondary education) or six-year program (2 years of secondary education and 4 years of postsecondary education). It is the combination of academic study in math, science, communication with technology program. Such programs give the required knowledge on occupations that are highly required and highly paid. Among such occupations there are such as health (nursing, dentistry), computing and communications (programmer, personal computer technician) and construction (carpenter, electrician). The graduates of these programs are able to move directly from high school to a community college or four-year college in order to finish their career and technical education. The Perkins Act makes the entry of the students who have learning disabilities possible to any technical programs. They have also access to a desired career. It is quite possible to get information about career and technical programs from school counselors, special education transition specialists and on school district or state board of education websites.
Tech Prep programs are advised to be incorporated into career and technical programs. Local public school district offices and the state departments of education should look if there is occupational training available at school. Such career and technical programs should be accessible for students with disabilities and special needs. Students and parents should know how to plan their future, what baccalaureate degree programs, career and postsecondary possibilities are available. Students should take part in the activities of student organizations, because it is also a required part of the instructional program.
In the seventh and/or eight grade students, have career exploratory classes, where they make what career to choose. As soon as their career exploratory classes are finished, they choose one of the seven main occupational areas that are defined by the Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE), a professional organization of teachers in career and technical programs.
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