Higher Ed Utah

Career technical education (CTE) and community colleges are grappling with the same issues brought by global competitiveness and the economy, said Frank Chong, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Colleges at the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE).

But those issues may have also fostered an opportunity for CTE to demonstrate why it can be the “lynchpin in economic recovery,” he added.

Speaking to NASDCTEc members at the Spring Meeting earlier this month, Chong, highlighted his positive experiences as a former CTE student.  He went on to note that the association’s new vision to transform all of CTE into programs that prepare students for college and career aligns with the Obama Administration’s goals of doubling the number of students who earn postsecondary credentials in the next 10 years. In turn, that would lead to filling the pipeline with qualified workers ready to fuel the global economy.

While Chong did give a nod to the vision paper’s emphasis on breaking down silos across education tiers and among stakeholders, he did note that there is no “consistent standard model “of how to collaborate with CTE. Under the direction of the Obama Administration, collaboration is major theme that all agencies are encouraged to integrate, Chong said. For instance, the Department of Agriculture is collaborating with STEM-education groups to determine how their goals align. He encouraged the CTE community to collaborate with others and connect the dots in order to underscore the value of CTE in the economy and nation.

“It’s time to crash the party and advocate for your students,” Chong said.