February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, which recognizes the accomplishments of CTE programs and the importance of CTE for students of all ages and abilities. CTE refers to courses and programs which prepare students for careers in current or emerging professions. Students who complete CTE programs can earn certificates, licensure, and postsecondary degrees in their field, and find jobs in more than 75 career paths, including areas of high need like health sciences and audio-visual technology. CTE can offer students with disabilities, in high school and beyond, an opportunity to personalize their education based on their career interests and unique learning needs. These students can face challenges in accessing CTE programs, such as inaccessible facilities, teachers who are not familiar with working with students with disabilities, or difficulty in integrating CTE into individualized education plans (IEPs).
Several NIDILRR-funded projects are working to identify and address these challenges, so students with disabilities can start on their chosen path to employment success:
- Translating Evidence to Support Transitions in Career and Technical Education (TEST-CTE) is developing and testing a guide for special educators on how to promote CTE for special education students with emotional behavioral disturbances. TEST practice guides equip educators with lesson plans and other tools to support students in leading their IEP meetings and completing career assessment and exploration activities, and to make connections with community agencies. Learn more about TEST and incorporating CTE in transition planning.
- Developing a Career Services Toolkit for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) Pursuing Post-secondary and Technical Education is developing and testing a toolkit for individuals with SMI and their families and for service providers. The study draws on the experiences of diverse stakeholders, including people with lived experience of SMI, to identify unique knowledge, skills, and resources required to succeed in CTE. Explore the prototype toolkit for students.
- Rehabilitation Research and Training on Employment Policy: Center for Disability-Inclusive Employment Policy Research includes a project to study trends and innovations such as disability-owned business enterprises and apprenticeships. While these programs are not new innovations, people with disabilities have not always been considered in developing policies and programs in these areas. Learn about disability inclusion in registered apprenticeship programs.
You can learn more about CTE and find programs to support students, educators, administrators, and business owners, from these websites:
- Dive into the data on CTE, graduation rates, and employment, from the Department of Education.
- Learn about inclusive apprenticeships and other programs preparing youth with disabilities for the workforce from the Office of Disability Employment Policy at the Department of Labor.
- Explore 79 career pathways organized into 16 clusters in the National Career Clusters Framework from Advance CTE.
Whether it leads to a degree, a job offer, or a seed to start a business, CTE can put students with disabilities on a path from education to employment success!