Career and Technical Education at Community Colleges: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

I review the literature evaluating sub-baccalaureate career and technical education (CTE) at community colleges. The goal of this study is to review the evidence describing how earning these types of credentials affects students’ outcomes, as well as which program characteristics contribute to student success. The research suggests that, on average, there are significant labor-market returns to obtaining short, technical credentials, although the returns vary across locations and fields of study. Researchers examining career pathway programs, sectoral partnerships, and apprenticeships have found mixed effects of participating in these programs, although so far, the literature is largely limited to short-term outcomes. More research is needed that ties program characteristics to student outcomes to develop our understanding of how to increase the probability of success for students enrolling in postsecondary CTE. We also need more studies examining the long-term outcomes for students graduating from these programs.