ACTE Highlights Need for Stem CTE Programs to Meet Workforce Demands

ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new Issue Brief by the
Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) titled, "Career and
Technical Education's Role in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math"
describes how career and technical education (CTE) can help to meet the
critical need of developing a skilled, professional STEM workforce to secure
America's economic future. CTE courses and programs strengthen students'
understanding of STEM content and attract students to STEM careers.

According to a recent survey by the Lemelson-MIT Program on teen attitudes,
most youth lack understanding of STEM, which creates a serious obstacle to
attracting them to careers in this area. Nearly two-thirds of teens indicated
they may be discouraged from pursuing a career in STEM because they do not
know anyone who works in the field (31 percent) or understand what people in
these fields do (28 percent). CTE programs allow students to explore interests
in STEM-related careers through a variety of avenues, including career
advising, mentoring, job shadowing and internships, and career and technical
student organizations.

During the last decade, thousands of new cutting-edge STEM-intensive CTE
programs have been launched or expanded in schools across the nation. CTE
programs integrate high-level academics and technology into the curriculum,
and the programs offer students a deeper understanding of STEM career
pathways, facilitate student transitions between secondary and postsecondary
education and careers, and help encourage more students from underrepresented
populations to enter STEM fields.

"CTE expands students' horizons as it helps them learn about different
STEM-related career options through hands-on training and the application of
core content knowledge. The relevance of CTE and the use of applied learning
strategies keeps students engaged in STEM programs, thus increasing the number
of students interested in this critical area," said ACTE Executive Director
Jan Bray. "It's imperative that we continue to increase the number of
STEM-related CTE programs and courses, especially if the United States is to
remain competitive in a global economy.

With the nation's economic leadership inherently linked to STEM achievement,
it is critical to support CTE programs that build student interest and skills
in STEM areas and strengthen the general STEM literacy of the emerging U.S.
workforce. Hans Meeder of the Meeder Consulting Group, LLC provided background
information and content for this Issue Brief. To obtain a copy of the Issue
Brief, please visit ACTE's Web site.

About ACTE
The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is the nation's
largest not-for-profit education association dedicated to the advancement of
education that prepares youth and adults for successful careers. It provides
advocacy, public awareness and access to information, professional development
and tools that enable members to be successful and effective leaders. Founded
in 1926, ACTE has more than 29,000 members including teachers, counselors and
administrators at the middle school, high school and postsecondary levels.
www.acteonline.org.

SOURCE Association for Career and Technical Education

Sabrina Kidwai of the Association for Career and Technical Education,
+1-703-683-9312, skidwai@acteonline.org