A deficit of skilled workers is looming: Career Tech Education could be lucrative path for students

The Association for Career & Technical Education projects a deficit of 6.5 million skilled workers by 2030, which suggests students who enroll in CTE programs should encounter a thriving job market upon graduation. METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

The Association for Career & Technical Education projects a deficit of 6.5 million skilled workers by 2030, which suggests students who enroll in CTE programs should encounter a thriving job market upon graduation. METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION
EDUCATION TODAY
By Metro Creative Connection
April 1, 2025
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Career Technical Education (CTE) programs offer students access to a wide range of career paths. If high school students were once advised to focus primarily on traditional four-year universities as their next step after graduation, more and more of today’s students are considering CTE programs as they seek to find rewarding, lucrative career paths.

Students considering CTE may be intrigued to learn that employment prospects figure to be substantial in the years to come. In fact, the Association for Career & Technical Education (ACTE) projects a deficit of 6.5 million skilled workers by 2030, which suggests students who enroll in CTE programs should encounter a thriving job market upon graduation. With that in mind, students wondering if a CTE program could be the next step in their academic journeys can explore a number of different career tracks.

  • Agriculture: Farming may come to mind when individuals think of the agricultural sector, but there are many additional pathways within the industry as well, and various CTE programs can prepare individuals for such careers. The career resources experts at Indeed note that CTE programs may focus on agribusiness systems, environmental service systems, food products and processing systems, and plant systems, among other paths. Aspiring farmers, agricultural inspectors, park rangers, wildlife administrators, and others can look into CTE agricultural programs as they consider the next step in their academic careers.
  • Business: Indeed notes that business courses are popular CTE courses because they teach students the ins and outs of business operations. That’s vital knowledge for students who ultimately aspire to own their own business. In addition to the technical training students receive in CTE programs, the focus on business ensures students also are well-trained in the everyday tasks necessary to run a successful business, including general management, human resources and operations.
  • Construction and architecture: According to Indeed, CTE programs focusing on construction and architecture teach students about the principles of designing and drafting structures. Construction technician, construction inspector and project estimator are some of the popular career paths among students who enroll in construction and architecture CTE programs.
  • Health science: Careers in health science also may appeal to students who want to find rewarding careers in in-demand fields in the years ahead. Health science CTE programs are wide-ranging. A program that offers instruction on biotechnology can prepare students for a career as an emergency medical technician. Various other specialties can prove equally beneficial to students interested in working in a health care setting, and those jobs figure to be in demand in the decades to come as the aging population continues to grow.

CTE programs can prepare students for careers in various industries, making this option worthy of consideration for students pondering their next move after high school.

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