Delegates at this year’s RA overwhelmingly supported Career and Technical Education programs by approving resolutions that direct NYSUT to advocate for safe supervision of CTE classes, and equitable funding and resources for the vocational education programs.
“CTE is essential, powerful and a valuable opportunity for so many,” said NYSUT Board member Andrew Jordan, BOCES United Professionals. “We want more opportunities for students to explore a career in the skilled trades. We cannot sacrifice safety to do this.”
Today’s Career and Technical Education programs aren’t just the key to gainful employment for students, they’re opportunities to spark joy and instill confidence through authentic skill-building.
By meeting students where their interests are — whether it’s welding, forensics, agriculture, public safety, media and graphic arts, robotics, healthcare, or construction — CTE is also finding new ways to engage students in the classroom and coax them forward toward graduation. In fact, New York high school students who take CTE courses boast a 92 percent graduation rate, and 98 percent of them go on to pursue post-secondary education.
CTE programs are also critical to addressing workforce shortages in a number of different sectors, including construction and trades, manufacturing and healthcare. According to recent labor analysis, the current wave of baby boomer retirements is expected to spur the largest labor shortage in U.S. history, and BOCES are the solution for training the next generation of America’s workers.
And yet, BOCES programs across the state are still being forced to turn students away due to lack of funding.
Learn more at nysut.org/CTE.