Career Technical Education among California High School Graduates

Career Technical Education (CTE)--a structured series of courses that provides high school students technical and vocational skills, paving the way to postsecondary education and careers--is key to aligning secondary education with both labor market needs and college opportunities. CTE provides high school students with the chance to engage in practical learning experiences, boosting engagement and expanding students' exposure to and preparation for a variety of careers. CTE participation is linked to increased high school graduation rates, greater likelihood of enrollment in two-year colleges, and higher earnings. With the promise of improved student outcomes, California has invested substantially in CTE over the last ten years. While CTE is generally linked to better educational and earnings outcomes, these outcomes vary across student subgroups and industry sectors. Within each industry sector, there are a number of pathways--a sequence of two or three courses with a final capstone course--that a student may choose to complete. Participation in specific CTE pathways is a function of many factors beyond student choice, including but not limited to course availability and scheduling within a high school or at an alternative school site, distance from the student's high school to the CTE program, and partnerships between high schools and local businesses. As such, pathways are not equally available to students across schools. This extended infographic provides an updated look at CTE pathway completion among California public high school graduates and how completion patterns vary by student race/ethnicity, gender, and CTE industry sector.