New designs for career and technical education programs at the secondary and postsecondary levels in the United States: context, audience, signature, and expectations

This paper will address new directions for career and technical (vocational) education in the United States at both the secondary and postsecondary levels of education. The work is a part of the program of work of the new National Center for Career and Technical Education and funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Focus will be on the context of career and technical education (i.e., assets, problems, opportunities, and aspirations), audiences to be served, signature (i.e., unique purpose), and desired learning expectations/outcomes. Special attention will be given to the changes needed in career and technical education in light of major educational reform initiatives at the secondary and postsecondary education levels in the United States. These reforms include new academic standards, integrating vocational and academic learning, more closely linking school and work-based learning, connecting secondary and postsecondary education programs, and new accountability requirements. The first part of the paper will focus on the New Designs for Career and Technical Education project and present a descripiton of the design process and preliminary recommendations resulting from a review of research and best practices and deliberations by a National Design Group representing administrators, teachers, counselors, teacher educators, researchers, and business and industry. The second part of the paper will present an application of the design process and resulting recommendations to a specific career and technical education institution in the United States – Hennepin Technical College.