This August, ACTE has updated its Sector Sheet on CTE’s role in developing future service members for the U.S. military and helping veterans succeed in the civilian workforce. This Sector Sheet features details about military occupations and earnings, information about how CTE prepares people with the skills needed in the military, and examples of exemplary programs that prepare future service members and veterans for the next stage in their education and career pathways.
Each service branch – the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy and Space Force – continually seeks new recruits, as service members are promoted through the ranks, retire or leave the military. There are hundreds of different occupations across a variety of Career Clusters for enlisted personnel, who comprise 82% of the Armed Forces, and for officers. In-demand occupations vary across branches and over time, but STEM jobs often top the list.
CTE can help prepare people for careers in the military and for life after they complete their service. On the secondary level, Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) programs such as Army JROTC foster leadership skills in high school students, whether or not they choose a career path in the military. In Alabama’s Mobile County Public School System, Director of Army Instruction retired Lt. Col. Robert F. Barrow has been recognized by the Army for helping to bring JROTC under the state’s CTE umbrella and for incorporating more emphasis on STEM education in JROTC through the VEX Robotics program and an annual STEM Leadership Academy. On the postsecondary level, Central Community College (CCC) in Nebraska has been recognized frequently by the Military Times as a top two-year college in the nation for veterans. CCC operates a Veterans and Military Resource Center at four campuses, providing services for learners who are veterans and current service members that range from the practical logistics of enrollment and financial aid to counseling and peer support.
ACTE’s Sector Sheet series is generously supported by Pearson.
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