ERIC Number: ED632551
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Oct
Pages: 7
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
How Florida Community and Technical Colleges Are Aligning CTE Programming to the Labor Market in a Post-COVID Era. ARCC Network Brief
Terrell, Jenna; Roldan-Rueda, Diana; Estacion, Angela; Spencer, Hayley; Sublet, Cameron
Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University
The COVID-19 pandemic created a historic, global disruption in the labor market. In the short term, the labor force participation rate dropped precipitously as workers were laid off or furloughed, especially in sectors that were most affected by social distancing protocols, such as hospitality, travel and leisure, and retail (Lund et al., 2021). While the labor market has rebounded since 2020, the pandemic has reshaped the future of work for America. Meanwhile, community and technical colleges around the country are responding to low levels of student enrollment after the pandemic (Barrington, 2022). These institutions are often tasked with filling the skills gap in their local economies through career and technical education (CTE) programs. Furthermore, community and technical colleges are increasingly being held accountable, through state and federal policy, for ensuring that the programs and credentials that they offer are relevant to the skills demanded by the labor market. This brief describes findings from a statewide survey in Florida that sheds light on how community and technical colleges are examining student and economic data, creating processes for program review and market alignment, engaging industries and businesses, and supporting student success in CTE after the pandemic. [An additional publisher of this brief is University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Education Research & Opportunity Center.]
Descriptors: COVID-19, Pandemics, Community Colleges, Vocational Schools, Labor Market, Labor Needs, Job Skills, Employment Qualifications, Alignment (Education), School Business Relationship
Community College Research Center. Available from: CCRC Publications. Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street Box 174, New York, NY 10027. Tel: 212-678-3091; Fax: 212-678-3699; e-mail: ccrc@columbia.edu; Web site: http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Authoring Institution: Columbia University, Community College Research Center (CCRC); WestEd
Identifiers - Location: Florida
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A