CTE Prepares Students for Hard-to-Fill Jobs

CTE prepares students for the hardest-to-fill jobs in the nation. According to ManpowerGroup's 2014 U.S. Talent Shortage Survey, the top 10 jobs for which employers report they have trouble finding qualified applicants are:

1. skilled trade workers
2. restaurant and hotel workers
3. sales representatives
4. teachers
5. drivers
6. accounting and finance professionals
7. laborers
8. IT staff
9. engineers
10. nurses

CTE programs prepare students for these occupations and, through stackable credentials, help youth and adults move up the ladder in these career fields. By growing high-quality CTE programs, the United States could educate more students for postsecondary education and in-demand jobs and better meet employer demand for skilled workers.

In addition, the survey found that 40 percent of U.S. employers report difficulty in filling jobs. This is a slight increase from the previous year but well down from the high of 52 percent in 2011. The most common reasons cited are:

1. a lack of technical competencies
2. a lack of workplace competencies
3. a lack of applicants in general
4. applicants looking for higher pay
5. a lack of experience