Further education is a priority
Eighty-two percent of the high school students who graduated from high school last June planned to attend college. Nearly half of those students will work and go to school. Among postsecondary/college students, 45 percent planned to go on for a four-year degree or technical school after earning their associates degree or certification.

Their occupational plans are on track
Of those students who graduated from high school or postsecondary school and who are also going to work, 86 percent said they are seeking a job in the occupational field for which they trained. In fact, more than half already have a job or job offer in the field for which they trained.

Career and technical education approach works
Answering the question "What about your CTE program has helped you achieve the most in the classroom?", forty-five percent of the students answered “hands-on instruction.” The second most important aspect of CTE instruction to students is having “instructors experienced in the field.” The report of student GPA bears them out. Seventy-three percent of the students reported having a GPA of 3.1 or higher.

When asked the most important benefit of being a member of SkillsUSA in their career and technical education programs, 59 percent ranked "gave me confidence" first or second. "Learning to be a leader" was the answer next highly ranked.

Career success requires more than technical skills
Thirty-one percent said that their problem-solving skills were the most important employability skill that would lead to their success on the job. Twenty percent of the students believe self-management was also an important employability skill.

The number one occupation "to change the world" is also hands-on
In an open-ended question of what occupations could change the world, students ranked doctors as number one. Teachers were ranked second. President of the United States came in third and was virtually tied with nursing.

Download the survey talley sheet.

For more information about SkillsUSA:
Thomas W. Holdsworth, Director
Communications/Government Relations
Phone: (703) 737-0607 • FAX: (703) 777-8999

Jane A. DeShong Short, Program Specialist
Communications/Government Relations
Phone: (703) 737-0612 • FAX: (703) 777-8999