Ohio Virtual Academy's Career Technical Education Program teaches career skills students need to be successful after high school. In addition to core courses required for graduation, students' electives allow them to explore different career fields and gain skills that can help them be successful in the workplace and in college. Whether students intend to go to college, are working in their career field now, or plan to start their career right out of high school, the occupational programs offered can combine passion and interests with the skills needed to compete for jobs in high-demand fields.
Career Technical Education prepares students for success in today's high-skilled careers by allowing them to explore career interests and earn industry skills and college credits while still enrolled in high school. Some of the benefits include:
Preparation for industry credential exams
Participation in student organizations that are career-focused
Learn skills that will make students workplace-ready
Earn real-world job experience with internships in career field
"Information Technology pays more than 2x the national average." (Source)
"There are currently about 4 million jobs in IT, and the sector is expected to generate an additional 488,500 jobs through 2014...a 12% percent increase in employment." (Source)
Financial services "employs more than 6 million people" and is currently "experiencing a talent shortage." (Source)
"Business and financial occupations paid almost $68,000 on average in 2017" and workers with "less than a bachelor's degree can earn more than the national median wage." (Source)
"The average high school graduation rate for students concentrating in CTE programs is 93%, compared to an average national freshman graduation rate of 80%." (Source)
"Graduates with technical or applied science associate degrees can out-earn bachelor's degree holders by $11,000." (Source)
"81% of high school dropouts say relevant, real-world learning opportunities, like CTE, would have kept them in school." (Source)
"80% of high school students taking both CTE and college prep courses meet college and career readiness goals, versus 63% who are college and career ready through college prep alone." (Source)