Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs) are the primary providers of public postsecondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) opportunities in the state. The purpose of this study was to determine which student demographic and enrollment characteristics significantly correlated with the completion of a postsecondary certificate or…

Research shows that employers play a key role in work-based learning (WBL) programs such as internships but are seldom involved in conversations around the topic (Greenfield & Stevens, 2018). While the benefits of work-based learning are well documented, employers are often unaware of the benefits they would receive from participating in an…

The legacy of career and technical education (CTE) in years past, stretching into the vocational education era, was lower college enrollment after participating in CTE. More recently, others have concluded that college enrollment is not affected but that CTE students enroll more frequently in 2-year degrees over 4-year degrees. I revisit the…

Laboratory exercises are a crucial component for many science education courses. Hands-on activities provide valuable contextualized learning experiences and allow for increased engagement between students and technical knowledge. The present study examined the efficacy of a virtual-type laboratory activity compared to a traditional hands-on…

Jobs that pay livable wages increasingly call for educational attainment beyond a high school diploma, but many of these jobs do not need a bachelor's degree. By earning industry certifications in high school, students may be better prepared for life after graduation. In 2007, Florida enacted the Career and Professional Education (CAPE) Act,…

This study investigated whether postsecondary automotive technology students' interests were congruent with their chosen career pathways. One hundred eighty-six students from three institutions completed Holland's Self-Directed Search assessment. Realistic was the predominant Holland code followed by Enterprising for the participants within this…

This study examined students' participation in college and career preparation activities in high school, and the relationship between participation in these activities and students' education and work attainment within one year of high school graduation. This study used the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:2009) dataset and…

One of the stated goals of career and technical education (CTE) is to improve the labor market outcomes of participants. One population of students for which concentration CTE may be particularly beneficial is those who determine they will not pursue postsecondary education. By exploring how occupational concentration--defined as earning three or…

The purpose of this study was to examine the nation's baccalaureate agriculture teacher education programs of study to synthesize current coursework requirements. Sixty-five baccalaureate programs of study were analyzed. The mean number of semester credit hours was 125.2, and the mean number of credit hours in the areas of professional knowledge,…

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) recruitment programs are growing at post-secondary institutions in response to the national shortage of trained workers in STEM fields. Many programs prove effective in recruiting students into STEM majors with research indicating the benefits of experiential learning activities in program…

The purpose of the study was to examine the input factors and outcomes within the student motivational profile (SMP) that may affect the self-determination of students who elected to enroll in an agricultural education career academy was conducted. This study introduces the "organismic socio-behavioral perspective" (OSBP), which was…

Over the past decade, CTE has been highlighted as a means of promoting college and career readiness for high school students. Applied STEM coursework is a promising area of high school study that has particular relevance in the technologically progressive world of today. Previous research has illustrated that applied STEM coursework in high school…

Research has demonstrated career and technical education (CTE) programs have a strong positive influence on secondary students' behavior, attendance, academic achievement, and college persistence. Critical success factors common to career academies, small schools, and CTE programs include socio-emotional support and community, along with a culture…

The Occupational Work Ethic Inventory (OWEI) has been widely used to measure work ethic constructs by professionals in the fields of Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Human Resource Development (HRD). However, there are circumstances when a shorter instrument would have advantages, especially when a measure of work ethic is needed along…

Post-recession Federal policy initiatives, such as secondary/postsecondary career pathways and gainful employment higher education accountability standards, prioritize the alignment of education practices with market-driven outcomes. Using longitudinal student record data merged from college and state K-12 data systems with the Unemployment…