Building Workforce Competencies In Career And Technical Education

Career and Technical Education (CTE) has become a vibrant source of workforce development across the globe. It is no longer an offering only for a specialized sector of students. Instead, it has matured into a sound and meaningful program for high school and postsecondary students across interest areas, and abilities. CTE programs and students realize the great relevancy of the programs to workplace and higher education readiness and immediate earning power. This volume addresses the changing needs of foundation courses in CTE. As land grant universities began to offer courses to cover the historical, social and philosophical aspects of CTE, teaching institutions have followed suit. Therefore, readers will find not only a rich background in history and philosophy of the field, but also theory, best practice, and strategies specifically grounded in CTE. As scholars and practitioners argue whether human resource development (HRD) encompasses CTE or vice versa in the field, this text proves that HRD is an integral component and thrust of CTE. As a broad field of study, CTE has come a long way and its history parallels the efforts of humanity from the Stone Age to modern civilization. Building Workforce Competencies through CTE proves that CTE survived, and thrives. The more we realize how pervasive technology and information skills are needed in our society, the more we need CTE. CTE is a leader in innovative educational programs, pedagogical theory and practice; it prepares people, young and old, for the world of work. This book provides a practical and visionary basis for cultivating future opportunities and directions in CTE.

This book is designed primarily for potential and inservice vocational instructors who are pursuing a program of personal and professional development which will ensure competency in this specialty. In any state in the United States, there are a number of uncredentialed instructors who teach courses in vocational education. Although these individuals may be competent enough in their subject matter areas, there is an obvious deficiency in the foundations of vocational education. Foundations of vocational education help vocational educators lay a solid foundation from which they can better help students hold aloft the banner of the full range of education for work, which is career and technical education in its modern sense. From this standpoint, this book is an excellent textbook for undergraduate and graduate students at university settings. Appealing foundation books are normally concerned with historical, philosophical, and social considerations of vocational education. The basic principles of vocational education must be covered in these books. Such prominent elements can be found from Evans and Herr’s (1978) Foundations of Vocational Education to Gray and Herr’s (1998) Workforce Education: The Basics. This book is no exception.

Skilled technical occupationsâ€"defined as occupations that require a high level of knowledge in a technical domain but do not require a bachelor's degree for entryâ€"are a key component of the U.S. economy. In response to globalization and advances in science and technology, American firms are demanding workers with greater proficiency in literacy and numeracy, as well as strong interpersonal, technical, and problem-solving skills. However, employer surveys and industry and government reports have raised concerns that the nation may not have an adequate supply of skilled technical workers to achieve its competitiveness and economic growth objectives. In response to the broader need for policy information and advice, Building America's Skilled Technical Workforce examines the coverage, effectiveness, flexibility, and coordination of the policies and various programs that prepare Americans for skilled technical jobs. This report provides action-oriented recommendations for improving the American system of technical education, training, and certification.

This book examines how industry-desired employability skills—or “soft skills”—are taught and learned in high school career and technical education (CTE) engineering and engineering technology programs. Identifying, recruiting, and keeping workers with strong personal and interpersonal skills is a constant challenge for STEM employers who need to hire young workers to replace an aging technical workforce. To answer the call, teachers interviewed explained that they maintain regimented daily classroom routines that include individual and small group hands-on activities and projects. In turn, their students explain learning personal responsibility, work ethic, teamwork, leadership, conflict management, and social skills in the classroom. Narratives from the workforce and classroom interweave to put employability skills frameworks into action.

Skilled technical occupationsâ€"defined as occupations that require a high level of knowledge in a technical domain but do not require a bachelor's degree for entryâ€"are a key component of the U.S. economy. In response to globalization and advances in science and technology, American firms are demanding workers with greater proficiency in literacy and numeracy, as well as strong interpersonal, technical, and problem-solving skills. However, employer surveys and industry and government reports have raised concerns that the nation may not have an adequate supply of skilled technical workers to achieve its competitiveness and economic growth objectives. In response to the broader need for policy information and advice, Building America's Skilled Technical Workforce examines the coverage, effectiveness, flexibility, and coordination of the policies and various programs that prepare Americans for skilled technical jobs. This report provides action-oriented recommendations for improving the American system of technical education, training, and certification.

Provides an authoritative reference collection on leading international insights into the integration of technology tools and applications with adult and vocational instruction.

While adult and vocational education may be viewed as separate, the training and development in education and the workplace is essential to keeping up with the current page of technologies and information. As technologies, individuals, and the workplace continue to advance, adult learning continues to be a forefront to keep up with this constant change of pace. Technological Applications in Adult and Vocational Education Advancement aims to advance the understanding, practice, and research within career and technical education. This book provides a global view on the education technologies for adult learning from leading scholars, theorists, and practitioners by sharing insight on innovative pedagogies and inspirational thoughts on the fields of adult education, technology, and care and technical education.

Information acquisition and management has always had a profound impact on societal and organizational progression. This is due to higher education programs continuously expanding, students and academics being engaged in modern research, and the constant evaluating of current processes in education for optimization for the future. The Handbook of Research on Innovative Techniques, Trends, and Analysis for Optimized Research Methods is a comprehensive reference source focused on the latest research methods currently facing educational technology and learners. While highlighting the innovative trends and methods, readers will learn valuable ways to conduct research and advance the understanding of ideas based on the results of their research. This publication is an important asset for teachers, researchers, practitioners, and graduate students looking to gain more knowledge on research trends and their applications.