Career and Technical Education Industry Credentials and Its Potential Impact on a State’s Economy

Abstract

As America’s key industries offer high salaries in return for candidates with the necessary abilities and credentials to fill their vacancies, the knowledge, skills, and third-party industry credentials earned in secondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs seem a close match. Using a nonexperimental, quantitative study, this research shows in prospective dollars earned and tax revenues collected for five years of CTE industry credentials’ the economic value for students and Virginia’s treasury. The implications of this research enable policymakers, school leaders, and CTE advocates to reshape popular misperceptions of CTE and industry credentials, enhance high school students’ career and postsecondary education outcomes, and add to state treasuries.