What Are CTE Programs: CTE Importance and CTE at iUniversity Prep
Imagine finally stepping on that stage, being handed your diploma, and thinking that after this summer, you will be studying the major that you applied to just last fall. Yes, that very button that you selected in the college application drop down. It was agriculture, wasn’t it? Or, wait, was it chemistry? Forensic science? Philosophy? Don’t worry– you quickly googled each career and chose the one that sounded the least boring and highest paying, remember? This may be the story for more students than you think; at least 40% of students are undecided about their future path (Diaz, Schleicher, Mann, 2025). As the years go by, the school system prepares children and teens for– drum roll, please– harder homework! But, how are students supposed to know what specific careers actually entail? Afterall, a career preview or head start on the educational journey could make a large difference for students preparing for further education. Luckily, that’s essentially what CTE in high school is all about: preparing students for their desired career.
What is CTE?
First of all, what is CTE? CTE stands for Career and Technical Education. Hence, CTE courses and organizations teach specific skills for a certain career pathway. These pathways consist of many branches, such as business, STEM, healthcare, arts, agriculture, and more. In fact, February is CTE Month, meaning it’s the time for schools and CTE organizations to promote themselves, spread awareness about this type of education, and emphasize funding. Without CTE classes in high school, many students can have trouble finding opportunities to explore careers and develop real-world skills.
CTE at iUP
Thankfully, iUniversity Prep offers a variety of CTE opportunities. For instance, if you want to explore the business field, iUP offers classes such as Principles of Business, Marketing, and Finance; Advertising; Macro/Microeconomics; and Entrepreneurship. For pursuers of STEM careers, iUP offers Principles of Health Sciences, Principles of Applied Engineering, Foundations of Cybersecurity, Computer Science, and so on. These courses are designed to give students a bit of insight into a career, while also giving them applicable information for their present. In fact, iUP also offers a CTE chapter organization, DECA, which allows students to explore the business world through real experiences.
CTE Importance & Advantages
Besides exploring career choices, CTE specific classes inspire students to continue learning. According to Skills USA New Mexico, “Taking one CTE class for every two academic classes minimizes the risk of students dropping out of high school.” This can be largely attributed to the fact that the material taught by CTE classes is clearly applicable to the real world. Many students complain about classes like Calculus (though they are incredibly important), wondering why they even have to learn the material if they likely won’t use it in their job. However, CTE classes are specifically designed to prepare students for their job, sparking students’ interest in the classroom (“Career and Technical Education,” 2026).
Furthermore, the skills gained from CTE courses can give students an edge in college, the workforce, and resume building. Brick-and-mortar high school CTE programs typically offer hands-on learning, and although iUP is an online school, these classes are still worthwhile. For instance, if a student takes these classes– especially AP versions– in high school, they’ll already know the foundations of concepts that they will learn in college or technical school, allowing them to perform better in future courses. Furthermore, they can help prepare students to earn certain certifications; Social Media Marketing (a course at iUP) actually asks students to earn a certification towards the end of the semester. As another benefit, a student who genuinely engages in a class, say Entrepreneurship, has the ability to learn valuable industry knowledge that they can apply to personal projects, which will then provide experience and initiative that can stand out on many applications.
In iUP DECA’s Google Chat, Mali Xayavong, prompted a discussion asking members to explain why they think CTE is important. Many students replied saying that they are important largely because of the interests, knowledge, and practical skills that can be gained. In fact, Mali herself said, “I think CTE courses are important because they give students hands-on experience while also helping them develop essential soft skills like communication, teamwork, and problem solving, which can prepare students for future career success.”
Moreover, CTE extracurriculars, like DECA, can be just as important to education as classes.
Importance of CTE in DECA
A recognized CTE organization and popular extracurricular at iUP, DECA, aims to prepare students to be future business leaders in administration, entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, and hospitality. This organization teaches students how to speak, dress, and act professionally whether for interviews, proposals, or meetings through in-person and online activities, making the club accessible to any student. In the past two years, our DECA chapter has attended and hosted competitions, mock events, sporting events, guest speakers, community service, and more.
Most notably, the yearly DECA competition– beginning with the Districts Career Development Conference (DCDC)– asks students to participate in either a roleplay or prepared event related to one of the career clusters (mentioned above). Roleplay competitors will go to the conference– without prepared materials– and present to a judge a pitch created in 10 minutes as a prompt response. Prepared events will present to judges a previously made paper or slideshow detailing a business plan, possible event, innovation, or another business endeavor. Our online school does a great job at providing us with information and teacher-explanations, but sometimes the lack of hands-on experience can become prominent; this is where DECA makes an impact.
Overall, this event and other DECA activities have enriched members with business experience and knowledge that can be difficult to access in high school. Specifically through this event, many students including myself have learned how to speak confidently and how to shape organized professional reports or proposals. Furthermore, many students don’t experience interviews until college or later; however, in a way, this competition can simulate an interview in the sense that a judge is evaluating how professional you are and how effective your response is. After participating in DCDC and other events, many students cite feeling more prepared for the real deal. In fact, many iUP DECA alumni are pursuing business ventures, most prominently entrepreneurship, straight out of high school and alongside college.
Conclusion
In short, whether through classes or clubs, CTE education can clearly help students feel prepared for life after graduation by increasing engagement and providing direction through real-life industry knowledge and skills. These benefits are exactly why it is vital to continue to support and fund CTE programs, especially in high schools. It is critical that these programs gain more funding so all students can feel secure about their future– not only the 60% of high schoolers who know what they want to pursue.
References:
“Career and Technical Education.” Skills USA New Mexico, https://skillsusanm.org/career-and-technical-education/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
Diaz, Jonathan, Schleicher, Andreas, Mann, Anthony. “The State of Global Teenage Career Preparation.” Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, 20 May. 2025, https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/the-state-of-global-teenage-career-preparation_d5f8e3f2-en.html.
