Disrupting the Status Quo of Trade Prep

The skilled trades are a critical part of the economy, a growing and recession-proof area of the workforce, and are now more accessible to high school students through career and technical education (CTE) programs. Skilled trades require specific expertise, and they focus on practical application, often in the form of hands-on work.  

These roles are present in every sector of the economy, in each of the 14 career clusters. Traditionally, they’ve required specialized postsecondary training, but students now have the opportunity to develop career-ready skills during their high school years.  

In this conversation, Jamie Candee, President & CEO of Edmentum, and Doug Donovan, Founder & CEO of Interplay Learning, describe how Gen Z (“the toolbelt generation”) is embracing the trades and taking a wider variety of paths to college and career; how states and districts are implementing successful industry partnership and apprenticeship programs; and the various ways students’ educational experience is enhanced when they have exposure to career exploration and preparation.  

They also introduce a new solution, Edmentum Career: Trade Prep Powered by Interplay, which expands Edmentum's career-connected learning (CCL) offering with immersive, job-ready training for in-demand skilled trades. This unique offering gives high school students access to learning once reserved for industry professionals in fields like aviation and the military.

Dive Deeper into Career-Connected Learning:

• [Toolkit] Career-Connected Learning: Our top tools and resources to support your students' college and career readiness.
• [Article] How to Maximize Funding for Career and Technical Education (CTE): Perkins V is foundational, but it's far from the only funding opportunity. This article presents an array of funding sources to consider when planning CTE or career-connected learning (CCL) programs for your district.
• [Article] Career-Connected Learning Drives Reimagination of Secondary Education: The number of different routes students are taking to college and career continues to increase, and a comprehensive approach to postsecondary readiness must account for a variety of potential pathways. This article presents national leaders' perspectives on the topic.
• [Webinar] How to Implement Districtwide CTE Programs Aligned to State Standards: Gain insights on states’ objectives around career-connected learning and how district leaders can implement programs that both align to state blueprints and personalize opportunities for all students to thrive.