For the past several decades, young people in the United States have been told that they need to go to college and earn a degree in order to make a good living and be seen as successful. Many of those who decide to attend a 4-year degree program drop out and are left with debt and no credentials. There is a paucity of research on the lived experiences of those who decide to pursue technical education. Eleven technical college students aged 18-24 enrolled in postsecondary programs at two small rural technical colleges shared their experiences during semistructured interviews. Using the social cognitive career theory as a framework, the research sought to explore what led to the development of a career interest in a technical field, self-efficacy beliefs regarding their ability to pursue the career and how, and the motivation to persist to reach their desired outcomes. Findings indicated that exposure to career and technical education through information dissemination by the educational system or family members, as well as the ability to observe the training through campus tours or dual enrollment participation were major factors in the development of career interest. Many participants chose to be trained at a technical college due to institutional factors, such as low cost, no unnecessary courses, and a shorter time period in the workforce. Findings further revealed that persistence in the program hinged on the significant, supportive relationships that students had with family, classmates, and their instructor, as well as their ability to visualize their progress toward their desired outcomes. The implications of this research are significant for understanding the complex factors influencing enrollment and retention in postsecondary CTE programs at rural technical colleges. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]