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Virginia C apitol C onnections, Winter 2015
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Students need a goal beyond high school graduation. We all
recognize that merely improving our graduation rate is not enough; we
have to prepare our students to be college and workforce ready.
Jamie Escalante was right when he said that students rise to the
level of expectations set for them by the adults in their lives. If we fail
to provide them with high expectations and the necessary resources
to dream big, then we fail to provide them with the benefit of a true
education. Increasingly, Career Coaches are essential to helping us
deliver that benefit.
Dr. Thomas Brewster is the superintendent of Pulaski County Public
Schools. Dr. Brewster is a member of the Virginia State Board for
Community Colleges. He can be reached at or by
calling 276-970-1884.
the ability to perform a task or operation. All of these factors convey real
economic benefits in the workforce by allowing employers to determine
the skill or education level of applicants.
What does this mean? Data supports CTE’s role in preparing
students to become career ready and college ready. (For additional data,
review the Virginia Association for Career and Technical Education’s
[VACTE] CTE Fact Sheet at ) Ensuring that students
are career and college ready has become critical in preparing them
for a competitive workforce throughout their careers. Usually, college
readiness discussions are limited to academics, but career readiness
requires a rigorous blend of academic, technical, and employability
skills. CTE already has the foundation for strengthening these skills
and offers this blend through 16 Career Clusters, as well as through the
Workplace Readiness Skills Examination.
Secondary schools inVirginia provide students with an opportunity
to build a strong foundation in academic, technical, and employability
skills to help them prepare for their futures. But most will need
postsecondary education (a one- or two-year certificate program, a
four-year college, or beyond). CTE programs provide students with the
opportunity to be a step ahead and armed with an industry credential
that enhances these three skills.
So what is CTE today? CTE integrates, with academics, a rigorous
and relevant curriculum, fulfills employer needs in high-skill, high-
wage, high-demand areas, and prepares students to be career ready
and college ready by providing core academic skills, employability
skills, and technical skills. Whether it is secondary students who need
secondary job skills to transition into the workplace, employees who
need to upgrade skills, adults who need to acquire new skills, or college
graduates who want enhanced technical skills, all are served by Career
and Technical Education programs.
For additional information, visit
Dr. Brenda D. Long is the Executive Director of the Virginia Associa-
tion for Career and Technical Education and has more than 30 years
of experience in CTE as a classroom teacher and administrator.
enough hours in the day to meet the needs of every student. The Career
Coach steps in and compliments our work,” Vest states.
Here in Pulaski County, our Career Coach is part of our team that
provides a comprehensive network of support for students.
“Many of my students are potential first generation college
students, so it’s important for me to assist students on how to navigate
the transition from high school to workforce or higher education
opportunities,” said Kathy Kleppin, the Career Coach serving PCHS.
Our Career Coach begins each year by creating awareness about
the services she provides and building relationships with students and
families. She uses technology to keep in constant touch and she uses
tools like the Virginia EducationWizard, a free online career education
resource developed by Virginia’s Community Colleges. The Wizard
allows students to create a profile to explore careers that connect with
their interests and abilities, the education necessary to access those
careers and even how to pay for that pursuit.
Career Coaches also help our teachers integrate career education
concepts throughout their classes by providing valuable professional
development, resources, and technical assistance. This strategic
focus on career education awareness is not just for our students, but
it involves our school leaders, teachers, counselors, staff members,
families, and other community partners. It is important that we are all
aware of the abundant current and future career opportunities that exist
for our students.
We are not alone when it comes to understanding the value of these
Career Coaches.
The State Superintendent of Louisiana, JohnWhite, recently asked
a high school counselor about the frequency in which she met with
students to discuss their careers, goals and options. To his amazement,
the counselor answered that she might typically meet with a student one
time over the course of four years for career counseling services.White
described the encounter as a “humbling experience” and demanded
immediate changes, namely adopting the Career Coach model created
here in Virginia.
Our partnership with the community college provides a link for
students and families to the resources they need to see beyond high
school. This college and career focus provides an achievable transition
from their K-12 experience.
Currently, what is career and technical
education (CTE)? It is a sequence of cutting-
edge, rigorous, and relevant programs that
prepare youth and adults for high-wage,
high-skill, and high-demand careers. It also
addresses the goal of Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and
Health Science Academies that are designed
to expand options for students to acquire
literacy and other critical skills in these fields.
Nationally, 94 percent of high school
students participate in CTE programs. In the
134 school divisions in Virginia, during the 2012-2013 school year,
576,454 secondary students enrolled in one or more CTE courses and
approximately 46 percent of high school graduates completed two or
more CTE courses, thus becoming a CTE “completer.” In addition,
48 percent of students receiving an Advanced Studies Diploma also
enrolled in one or more CTE classes.
During the 2013-2014 school year, 103,599 CTE students earned
industry credentials (up from 67,035 credentials earned in the previous
school year). Education and nationally recognized industry credentials
are important milestones for many high-wage, high-skill, high-demand
careers. Both at the secondary and postsecondary levels, students can
earn credentials that verify skill mastery, educational attainment, and
Today’s Career and Technical Education By Dr. Brenda D. Long
Fine Art Photographer
Seasons House on Trumpington Court
Chester eld, VA 23838-2110
804.739.1955
WANDA JUDD
Partnerships from page 29
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