In New York City, as in many places across the country, there is much discussion about strengthening career and technical education (CTE). New York City's approach to Career and Technical Education (CTE) is held up as a model for getting this type of education right. A recent conference highlighted six schools that represented only a fraction of the many CTE programs that New York City currently offers. The United Federation of Teachers (UFT) worked closely with the New York City Department of Education and local industry partners to help start many of these programs, though doing so was a huge struggle. In addition, during presentations to parents and various community groups, it was explained that this change in emphasis from the traditional vocational education approach to a CTE perspective was rooted in a deep concern that a large segment of the student population was just not engaged in learning. Parents listened and agreed; they supported the push to strengthen CTE. The results: students who graduate from CTE programs left school with industry certifications in computer engineering, automotive technology, graphic arts, and culinary arts. While these certifications show students are prepared with the knowledge and skills to work in a certain field, what such documents also really said is that this student has been actively engaged in his or her learning, has figured out how to work in groups, and has developed all those critical-thinking skills that education experts constantly emphasize. The emergence of high-quality CTE programs has energized teachers across New York City and news about their good work continues to spread throughout the country. Their message is simple: CTE is a viable and rigorous educational option for children, and one that should be expanded and enhanced. Not only does CTE engage students in new and powerful ways, but it also ensures that students are college and career ready.