Career & Tech FAQ
What is Career and Technical education? Learn more about
"CTE" through the Frequently Asked Questions below!
What is “C.T.E.?”
CTE is the acronym for Career and Technical Education, a learning approach that involves hands-on real-world training in a variety of career paths and concentrations.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) is learning that works for Vermont. CTE is helping our state and our nation meet the very real and immediate challenges of economic development, student achievement and global competitiveness. CTE is developing Vermont's most valuable resource—its people; helping them gain the skills, technical knowledge, academic foundation and real-world experience they need to prepare for high skill, high demand, high wage careers—and keep Vermont working—in every sense of the word.
How long has CTE been around for?
Career and technical education has been a part of the American education system since its founding. It has taken many forms over the years, and for much of that time it was often referred to as “vocational” education or training. The current career and technical education system’s roots can be found in the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act which first became law in 1986. The Perkins Act has been reauthorized five times since then, most recently in 2018, when the Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century (Perkins V) Act was signed into law. At both the state and federal level, the focus has been and continues to be on providing the education and skills needed to support a strong economy, preparing students for high skills, high wage, and/or high demand careers in a wide range of industry pathways.
How much does it cost to attend a CTE center?
Vermont’s regional technical centers are public schools, so high school students can attend at no cost to them. In addition, under Vermont law, adults who do not have high school diplomas and adults who have GEDs can also attend at no cost to them, if space is available.
Vermont’s technical career centers also offer adult education courses for members of the community. For more information about adult continuing education and workforce training opportunities, contact your local technical center.
How does a CTE Education support outstanding learning?
Today’s cutting-edge, rigorous and relevant career and technical education (CTE) programs prepare youth and adults for high-wage, high-skill, high-demand careers in established and emerging industries.
CTE centers in Vermont embed academic content into their programs so students can earn credit in academic areas while also learning career skills in their chosen program. Also, Vermont CTE programs direct their curricula to support students in Peer Learning Plans, Proficiency-Based Graduation Requirements, and preparation for post-secondary education.
Vermont’s CTE programs offer students a range of opportunities, including the opportunity to earn industry-recognized credentials, college credits through the Vermont Fast Forward Dual Enrollment initiative, articulation agreements with colleges in Vermont and throughout the Northeast, and paid, professional work-based learning experience.
What programs are offered at CTE centers?
Vermont’s technical centers offer a wide range of opportunities, from manufacturing to health care, from auto technology to design, from cosmetology to HVAC. Vermont law provides you with the opportunity to attend that program at another technical center if you meet that center’s admissions criteria.
Our interactive web page about CTE Programs in Vermont allows you to explore the many areas of CTE study and the centers that offer related programs across the state.
How do I apply to CTE?
To apply for CTE, visit your local CTE center using the map on this page and follow their admissions process to take charge of your education!
“CTE classes are a wonderful way to incorporate the core classes into real-life applications that the students can relate to and get excited about.”
-Association for Career and Technical Education
"The average high school graduation rate for students concentrating in CTE programs is 93 percent, compared to an average national freshman graduation rate of 80 percent."
-U.S. Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education data
Creating opportunities, skills, & experiences for Vermont students through CTE education.
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