Community Commentary:

As the Legislature grapples with improving California’s education system and preparing students to meet the needs of the 21st-century workplace, career technology, sometimes called vocational training, is receiving a great deal of attention and support.

Career Technical Education (CTE) is a shift from a traditional focus on entry-level jobs that do not require additional education or training beyond high school to prepare students for technical careers.

Many of our youth must be prepared to succeed in technical training after high school. There are huge numbers of job opportunities in the technical employment field, including new highly paid jobs. Technical and skilled labor jobs will sustain our middle class in coming years, and students should have the opportunity to acquire both academic and technical skills. .

The California Employment Development Department expects 6.5 million new job openings to be generated in the state by 2014. Many of these job openings are for technical workers.

A 2006 report from the Center for the Continuing Study of the California Economy concluded, “It is not true that most jobs will require a four-year degree. The new emphasis on career technical education will be instrumental in converting California’s workforce challenges into opportunities.”

My colleague state Sen. Mark Wyland (R-Carlsbad) has introduced important CTE legislation, Senate Bill 253, that would authorize school districts to award career technical certificates to pupils who complete four CTE courses.

Ever since California began implementing its system of state academic standards tests and school accountability in 1997, the emphasis has been on the core subjects of English, math, science and history. By overemphasizing college-prep courses, the state has left high school students without the proper skills to apply for jobs within the fastest-growing sectors in the California economy.

An unfortunate result of our state’s departure from vocational training has been the high dropout rate — in fact, more than 30% of students are falling through the cracks because of an education system that prepares kids for only one option: college. Essentially we’re telling students that if they don’t enjoy academic work, they don’t have much value to society. These are the people who make our world operate every day — highly skilled people who provide the products and services we cannot do without.

California’s education system needs to be recalibrated to get our schools back on track and get kids re-engaged. Our state needs to move forward, setting policies that will provide students with the technical knowledge and skills they will need to choose and excel in a career path that is right for them. This is an opportunity for us to turn a potential workforce crisis into a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fill jobs, grow the economy and attract talented kids back to school with a meaningful education.

TOM HARMAN is a state senator covering the 35th District.