CTE Month: Career-Connected Learning Is Now Essential K-12 Infrastructure
CTE (Career and Technical Education) Month is the perfect time to reflect on how schools are helping today’s students connect learning to life after graduation. As we work with districts to bring career-connected learning to classrooms around the world, we're seeing firsthand how critical it is.
Gone are the days of career readiness being treated as a supplemental program for a handful of students; it’s now essential infrastructure that’s making its way into state policy and accountability frameworks throughout the country. Our Reimagining Career-Connected Learning workbook offers a planning lens for this shift.
The Future of Work Is Already Reshaping K-12
Although a bachelor’s degree still offers advantages, it’s no longer a guaranteed on-ramp to a great entry-level job. New graduates are facing greater challenges as they pursue those roles. Employers are focusing much more on durable skills and job-ready experience as they continuously reshape roles to stay aligned with changing technology. At the same time, recent U.S. labor data shows skilled trade and occupational pathways offering more stable entry into work in certain sectors than they did a decade ago.
In response, K-12 schools are starting to offer career exploration earlier, giving middle-school students exposure to career paths that they might not otherwise consider, and empowering high school students to create flexible pathways that adapt as their interests evolve.
MajorClarity helps districts build a throughline, connecting career discovery, academic planning, high-impact curricula, and certification preparation for students across grades 6–12. It gives students a consistent way to thoroughly and thoughtfully explore a wide range of options long before it’s time to make big decisions. For a deeper understanding of how it works, see:
- A full walkthrough of the student journey
- Edmentum CEO Jamie Candee on MajorClarity
- MajorClarity demo videos on YouTube
Jobs Aren’t Vanishing, But They Are Rapidly Changing
Total U.S. employment is projected to grow by about 5.2 million jobs by 2034. That means jobs aren't disappearing, as many fear, but what’s changing is where that growth takes place. Healthcare and social assistance are projected to see the biggest gains, but clean energy and other sectors will also expand significantly. As a result, industries that have long been described as emerging are already shaping hiring and training around the world.
K-12 CTE programs are responding by connecting students with opportunities like Industry-Recognized Credentials (IRCs) and helping them create personalized pathways that truly prepare them for high-demand jobs in growing sectors. And districts are increasingly looking for funding to support the adoption and expansion of those programs.
The Role of AI Fluency in Career Readiness
Shifts in the workplace also show up in how districts are approaching artificial intelligence. Rather than treating it as a fringe topic, schools are embedding AI literacy into K-12 coursework and skills demonstration into career-connected learning, recognizing that these capabilities will be required of applicants in a wide range of industries and roles.
How Districts Are Building Flexible CTE Infrastructure
The implications for districts are crystal clear: students need flexible options. At Edmentum, we’re passionate about helping schools design standards-aligned career readiness as infrastructure, using data-informed planning, cross-departmental alignment, and sustained professional learning. We’re helping schools deliver high-quality online CTE, as well as in person, to make sure students are ready for what’s next, and we’re inspired by what we’re seeing. For example, in 2024, 43% of the seniors at a school in Stafford, Texas graduated from high school with an associate's degree.
As we celebrate CTE Month, we should all take a moment to look at what’s working and what we can do better—because the future of work is here, and career-connected learning is what will truly prepare today’s students for a labor market defined by change.