The role of the CTE community as more young adults opt to delay careers and extend education

By Lauren Serpati.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) recently released a report entitled American Youth: Transitions to Adulthood. Among the many results of this longitudinal report, the most interesting for the career and technical education (CTE) community is that young adults in America are increasingly extending education and delaying careers and family. This is not surprising given the economic climate of the nation—many students are unable to secure jobs with high school, GED, or two-year associates degrees, and too many students are unable to secure jobs with a bachelor’s degree from a four-year university. Thus, without anywhere else to turn, they pursue more education and subsequently obtain more student-loan debt.

My recent participation in the American Youth Policy Forum on Career Pathways to Employment was eye-opening. Dr. Anthony Carnevale made a great point based on his years of research on the workforce: “it’s not the level of education one attains, but the content of what you learn—the labor market is more textured today”. Of course, the content he refers to is technical. Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) are the areas in which jobs are increasing. Thus, young adults in our country need not look for more education in all cases. Rather, they should strategically pursue some sort of technical education that places them in a position to start their careers sooner, rather than later.

The CTE community plays an enormous role in dissemination of this message, particularly in K-12 settings where many of these career-based decisions are often made. One reason young adults are pursuing more education, rather than the alternative strategic education, is that these individuals are misinformed. Sixty years ago more education certainly led to more jobs and more financial success. But that is not necessarily the case today. Yes, individuals with bachelor’s degrees on average earn more than others with less education, but this is now dependent on the field of specialized knowledge. If more students and their parents were aware of this while making key decisions in high school, this trend towards pursing more education and delaying careers could decline, ultimately strengthening the workforce and nation’s economy.

Report:

Aud, S., KewalRamani, A., and Frohlich, L. (2011). America’s Youth: Transitions to Adulthood (NCES 2012-026). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.