The past few years have brought immense change to the economic mobility landscape. While some Americans experienced record high gains in the stock market, millions more experienced unemployment, eviction, and personal financial setbacks with potentially long-term effects. Bearing the brunt of these economic shocks were people of color and women, groups that have long been excluded from access to economic opportunities.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion is a stated priority for many employers, funders, and policymakers, but one area where investment could fuel broad-based economic mobility is too often overlooked: Career Technical education (CTE).
State CTE leaders are advancing true investments in our diversity by designing economically supportive education and training systems that allow all learners, with their myriad interests and skills, to pursue a career pathway that works for them and their families, while contributing to a thriving economy that benefits all of us.
The process of exploring new careers and developing skillsets that put students closer to their goals is not always straightforward. And for those with limited resources, this process becomes a high stakes decision. By investing in CTE, which provides hands-on training and real-world experience, we can ensure that every student can take a learning journey that’s right for them.
CTE is a priority investment area for ECMC Foundation. Some of our partners lead projects that serve twenty students at a time, while others impact thousands. Building an equitable system that works for all learners means investing in solutions that work for groups large and small. By investing in CTE, in all its many forms, we’re able to support educational experiences tailored to individual passions and provide supports directly responsive to students’ backgrounds and needs.
Despite efforts to better serve underrepresented students in the postsecondary field, too many learners lack access to the education and training opportunities they want and need. This reality is not just seen in student datasets—we can see it in our everyday lives. The agenda for Advance CTE’s Fall Meeting includes sessions that urge us to deeply engage with the needs of rural learners, learners with disabilitiesNative learners, justice-connected learners, and learners needing basic needs supports. Ensuring the needs and experiences of these communities and other underrepresented groups are represented in our priorities and our professional circles is central to our work ahead.
ECMC Foundation supported this event to ensure that discussions during the breakout sessions sustain the integration of supports and visibility for these learner groups in CTE. We thank state CTE leaders across the country for applying the time, energy, and strategic advocacy on behalf of such groups, which will generate the permanent systems change needed to support all learners.
Thank you for bringing your expertise and commitment to the world of CTE. You are not only investing in the diversity of CTE students, but in the diversity of their dreams.
Anna Fontus, Program Officer, ECMC Foundation
Anna Fontus is a Program Officer at ECMC Foundation where she oversees a portfolio of grants centered on innovative approaches to postsecondary CTE including apprenticeships, career oriented associate degree programs, and leadership development. ECMC Foundation accepts and reviews Letters of Inquiry on a rolling basis. Visit https://ecmcfoundation.org/ to learn more!
