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Ready to Work: Reviving Vocational Ed

Vocational education was once a staple of American schooling, preparing some kids for blue-collar futures while others were put on a path to college. Many experts say it's time to bring back career and technical education.

September 11, 2014 | by Emily Hanford

Ready to Work: Reviving Vocational Ed
Ready to WorkAPM Reports
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Ready to Work: Reviving Vocational Ed
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Vocational education was once a staple of American schooling, preparing some kids for blue-collar futures while others were put on a path to college. Today the new mantra is “college for all.” But not everyone wants to go to college, and more than half of jobs don’t require a bachelor’s degree. Many experts say it’s time to bring back career and technical education.

This documentary explores how vocational education is being reimagined.

"Ready to Work" is an audio documentary from the Educate podcast — stories about education, opportunity, and how people learn.

The troubled history of vocational education

Vocational education was once used to track low-income students off to work while wealthier kids went to college. But advocates for today's career and technical education say things have changed, and graduates of vocational programs may have the advantage over graduates of traditional high schools.


A 21st-century vocational high school

For years, vocational education was seen as a lesser form of schooling, tracking some kids into programs that ended up limiting their future opportunities. Today, in the nation's best vocational programs, things are different.


Career academies: A new twist on vocational ed

Across the country, thousands of high schools are transforming into career academies. The idea is that students will be more engaged if they see how academics are connected to the world of work. And they’ll be more likely to get the postsecondary schooling they need to support themselves in today’s economy.


A company short on skilled workers creates its own college-degree program

At a Toyota plant in Kentucky, young people are learning how to fix robots, earning associate's degrees and graduating with jobs that pay up to $80,000 a year.


Credits

Executive Editor: Stephen Smith
Correspondent and Producer: Emily Hanford
Producer: Laurie Stern
Editor: Catherine Winter
Digital Producer: Andy Kruse
Audio Mixing: Craig Thorson
Assistant Producer: Suzanne Pekow
ARW staff: Samara Freemark
Interns: Dylan Peers McCoy and Minna Zhou
Project Manager: Ellen Guettler
Managing Director, National Content Development and Arts & Ideas Programming: Peter Clowney

Special thanks Kohnstamm Communications and the Hatcher Group.

Support for “Ready to Work” comes from Lumina Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Spencer Foundation.


Resources
  • Transcript of documentary audio
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