Building CTE at the DNC

As the nation watched the Democratic National Convention, it may have looked like one enormous pep rally, with inspiring speeches to pump up enthusiasm, silly hats bobbing in the crowd and shirtfronts encrusted with political buttons. But outside the phalanx of TV cameras, delegates and leaders—including many from the AFT—were shaping policy, including on education. Such was the case Aug. 21 when a panel of politicians, advocates and labor leaders sat down to discuss the most important aspects of career and technical education, and how we can continue to encourage its growth.

AFT President Randi Weingarten kicked off the conversation by describing her vision: to align the conviction that every public school should be “a place where parents want to send their children, educators want to work and kids are engaged,” with “the jobs of today and tomorrow,” and to start it all in high school or earlier.

“Why don’t we try to make high schools … places where kids get to have options about what they want to do, and where we prepare kids for life, for career, for college, for pluralism?” she asked. Career and technical education is where “we take tinkerers and they become critical thinkers. We take passion and meet purpose, and kids thrive.”

Panelists agreed that it will take unusual partnerships to make this work—including among those assembled on stage. Among the participants were Russlynn Ali, CEO of the XQ Institute, which co-sponsored the event; Brad Smith, vice chair and president of Microsoft; U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo; Frank Luntz, pollster and political strategist; Jenny Sharfstein Kane, program lead for education at Bloomberg Philanthropies; Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers; Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO; Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.); Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Don Beyer (D-Va.) and Joaquin Castro (D-Texas); and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Weingarten, along with Mulgrew, Hochul, Microsoft’s Brad Smith and Bloomberg’s Sharfstein Kane, described programs like the artificial intelligence symposium Microsoft held recently for educators and technology creators; the $250 million Bloomberg has invested in healthcare career pathways; and Micron’s investment in CTE programs that will prepare students to participate in the growing microchips manufacturing sector in Central New York. Panelists also discussed the power of paid apprenticeships, the need for more federal funding in the CTE movement and the opportunity to make CTE a “national priority,” as Khanna put it.

This will be easier with a Harris-Walz administration. “I think this is very high on their agenda,” said Neera Tanden, domestic policy adviser to President Joe Biden. The Biden-Harris White House has already invested millions in career and technical education, and Harris included diverse pathways through school in her recently outlined economic agenda. She has also been a key champion of apprenticeships, said Tanden.

While some panelists pointed to exemplary CTE programs, they also agreed that CTE should become the norm, not the exception. And they agreed that CTE can open doors to the middle class. AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler drew the connection to labor: Where labor unions were once the driving force behind preparing apprentices for work in the trades, CTE can now work with them to bolster opportunities in the workforce.

“Kamala Harris is obsessed with building the middle class,” said Raimondo, calling the concept “a defining policy” and explaining that it means that “every single American [has] a chance to get a good job.”

“But here’s the thing,” Raimondo continued. “You need the skills. That’s why I believe so deeply in this work.”

Click here to watch the entire panel.

[Virginia Myers]