Assessing the Need for a Program
The first step in creating a successful Environmental Technology program often involves working with industry partners to assess the local workforce demand. The following resources provide proven methods for:
- Perform Needs Analysis: Effective CTE planning begins with a systematic workforce needs analysis to identify skill gaps. For example, Bartlett et al. (2011) found only about half of technical-education projects conducted formal needs assessments; those that did often relied on secondary labor data and industry advisory committeesatesurvey.evalu-ate.orgatesurvey.evalu-ate.org. Robust analyses should also incorporate local employer input (surveys, focus groups) to validate which competencies are most needed.
- Labor Market Assessment (national/BLS): Use national BLS data (e.g. Occupational Outlook, projections) to gauge demand. The BLS projects U.S. employment will grow by 6.7 million jobs (≈3.9%) from 2023–33, driven mainly by healthcare/social assistancebls.gov. Fastest-growing occupations include nurse practitioners (+73%), data scientists (+59%), and green-energy techniciansbls.gov. These national trends help align CTE programs with sectors and roles poised for expansion.
- Targeted Occupational Analysis (AI): Apply AI-driven tools to break down specific occupations into tasks and skills. For instance, emerging AI tools can automatically scan large data sources (job postings, resumes, O*NET) to extract core task requirements and match them to skill profilestechrseries.com. This allows CTE planners to identify precise competency needs (including new tech like AI skills) and keep curricula up-to-date with real-time labor insights.
- Utilizing the BILT Model: Engage industry leaders as co-developers of programs through the Business & Industry Leadership Team (BILT) model. In this approach, business partners “co-lead” curriculum design, specifying the future Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) they want graduates to have 1–3 years outcte.ed.gov. Direct employer co-leadership ensures courses evolve with emerging industry trends and that students learn the high-value skills employers expect.
- Partnerships: Build strong partnerships across education, industry, workforce boards and community organizations to share resources and expertise. Nearly all CTE leaders (98%) rate business–education partnerships as extremely important to program qualityacteonline.org. Research emphasizes treating employers as active co-designers (not just “customers”) to help validate standards, mentor students, and create work-based learning opportunitiescareertech.org.
Designing and Developing a Program Curriculum
Once a program need has been established, a college will need to create a curriculum providing an educational experience for students to meet industry needs using the following resources:
- Curriculum Development: Develop curriculum collaboratively with industry input so it aligns with technical standards and employability skills. High-quality CTE programs use industry-validated technical standards as the basis of their curriculum and integrate relevant academic and soft skillsacteonline.org. Employer feedback guides inclusion of certifications and emerging topics (e.g. green technology) to ensure graduates meet current workforce requirements.
- Facilities/Supplies/Equipment: Ensure classrooms have up-to-date labs and tools reflective of industry practice, recognizing these needs drive higher costs. CTE often requires specialized equipment and smaller classes, making programs more expensive to runcareertech.org. States commonly allocate additional funding for CTE facilities – e.g., 54% of state CTE directors report using state funds to ensure equitable student access to modern equipment and resourcescareertech.org.
- Use of Stackable Credentials: Implement stackable (tiered) credentials so students earn interim certifications on the way to higher qualifications. This provides clear milestones and flexibility in career pathways. Empirical studies find 32–43% of students who earn a technical certificate go on to stack additional credentials, and a large majority of stackers (e.g. 71% in one study) eventually attain an associate degreeinsidehighered.com. Stackable models improve engagement by rewarding incremental progress and improving long-term completion.
- Use of Dual Enrollment / Early College: Create dual-enrollment or early college programs linking high schools and colleges so students earn college credit or credentials while still in high school. In California, about 25% of community college courses taken by high school students are CTE coursesedpolicyinca.org. Early college models accelerate skill acquisition and reduce time-to-credential, which can boost persistence: students see tangible progress (college credits) alongside earning a diploma.
- Internships and Apprenticeships: Integrate work-based learning (internships, apprenticeships) to give students hands-on industry experience. Apprenticeship roles especially often lead to family-supporting wages: BLS data show many apprenticeship occupations (e.g. electricians, plumbers, power-line installers) have median pay above the national average (electricians ~$55K; power-line installers ~$70.9K)bls.gov. These programs also benefit employers by developing a pipeline of trained talent directly in their field.
Implementing and Evaluating Program Success
In order for a program to remain impactful, regular assessment needs to be conducted. The following resources provide proven methods for implementation:
- Difficulty Hiring Instructors: A major implementation challenge is the shortage of qualified CTE instructors. In 2023–24, 28 states reported CTE teacher shortages and 86% of state CTE directors said at least one program area had a moderate/severe staffing gapedweek.org. Recruiting industry-experienced teachers is hard because practitioners often face pay cuts to become educators and may lack formal credentials. Solutions include alternative certification routes and offering competitive adjunct pay for technical experts.
- Student Recruitment and Retention: Keep student enrollment strong by emphasizing career outcomes and support services. CTE is very popular – 85% of U.S. high school graduates took at least one career-tech courseedweek.org – but programs must still actively recruit underrepresented groups and provide retention supports (mentoring, tutoring, flexible scheduling). Highlighting clear pathways (certificates, apprenticeships) and robust job placement data helps retain students who see the value of completing the program.
- Program Evaluation: Continuously evaluate programs with measurable outcome indicators. Build evaluations around student and employer results (completion rates, certifications, job placement) and use data for improvement. Best-practice frameworks stress “accountability” – student, employer and program outcomes must be transparently measuredcareertech.org. Align evaluation with Perkins V and state accountability metrics to ensure CTE offerings are effective and responsive to workforce needs.