Walt Ecton

What the Best Career and Technical Programs Have in Common CTE programs must be rigorous and aligned with economic needs and technological developments.

What makes for a great Career and Technical Education (CTE) program? Enjoyed talking with
@edweek.org about what we know from research: www.edweek.org/teaching-lea...

CSHPE was a wonderful interdisciplinary home for me and would benefit from having this expertise! The community and opportunities to collaborate across education, public policy, and data science to study education are exceptional.

Do you (or does someone you know) research emerging & advanced technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence, virtual/augmented reality) in education? If so, apply to come work with us in Ann Arbor! careers.umich.edu/job_detail/2...

The Vital Role of Career and Technical Education in Postsecondary Education Career and technical education, often referred to as vocational education, has long played a vital role in American postsecondary education. This chapter outlines the role of career of technical educa...

Too often, CTE (and community/tech colleges) are left out of the conversation in higher ed. Intro courses might have a week on these topics, & specific courses are all too rare. We argue, though, that CTE plays a central role in higher education. I hope you'll consider reading. 8/8

We also offer tangible suggestions and considerations for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners working in CTE, community colleges, technical colleges, and related spaces. 7/8

Throughout this chapter, we highlight history, theory, and evidence to situate CTE within today's higher education contest. We tackle outdated perceptions of CTE from previous eras, particularly for those who may not be aware of a rapidly growing & evolving evidence base. 6/8

3. CTE offers the nation’s higher education ecosystem an opportunity for bipartisan support during a time when the value of college is increasingly questioned by policymakers, especially on the political right. CTE may be uniquely suited for today's political climate. 5/8

2. CTE programs are uniquely suited to broaden access to higher education & bolster enrollments. To increase postsecondary attainment, higher ed needs to reach out to new populations (e.g., adult learners, students who "don't like school," etc.) who are uniquely attracted to CTE. 4/8

In the chapter we highlight that: 1. Many of the most vulnerable students in higher education currently enroll in CTE programs. If we care about delivering high-quality education to our most vulnerable students, CTE programs are especially deserving of our attention. 3/8

This chapter is meant to serve as an introduction to postsecondary CTE, particularly for those who mostly think about higher education in the 4-yr college context. We argue that CTE is central to the future health of higher ed as a sector - it cannot be ignored by the field. 2/8

The Vital Role of Career and Technical Education in Postsecondary Education Career and technical education, often referred to as vocational education, has long played a vital role in American postsecondary education. This chapter outlines the role of career of technical educa...

Excited to share "The Vital Role of Career and Technical Education in Postsecondary Education" in the Higher Education Handbook of Theory & Practice. I'm so proud of this work w/@jwrightkim.bsky.social, and I hope you'll consider a read: link.springer.com/rwe/10.1007/... (1/8)

Heading home from a great week at @actecareertech.bsky.social #VisionCTE25. Proud to have presented w/ @CSHPE PhD student Felicia Akerele & @fsu_elps PhD candidate Kevin Ganus. And honored we were named Best Symposium at ACTER! Grateful to work with such excellent emerging scholars.

Support Florida State University FSU is on the verge of becoming one of the nation’s premier higher education institutions.

It was a privilege to start my tenure track journey with Danny, a scholar and teacher who always put mission and his core values first. He made a lasting influence on me and many others. If you knew Danny, consider contributing to this fund in his honor: bit.ly/DannyMoraguez

Danny was taken from this world far too soon, but I'll long remember him for his infectious laugh, the levity & joy he brought to any room, the (very eclectic!) music streaming from his office, love of Schitts Creek jokes, service to his country through the military, & deep care for his students.

Check out this new blog post on CTE & Occupation Licensing from @nicolasacevedor.bsky.social : step-in-cte.soe.umich.edu/blog-posts

Meanwhile, I'm wearing lifts in my boots next time...

Thanks to @mpolikoff.bsky.social for a great talk on Americans' views on LGBTQ & race-related curriculum at Michigan this morning!

Big Tech Told Kids to Code. The Jobs Didn’t Follow.

Today's The Daily is a cautionary tale of what happens when we tell students to specialize in one skill too narrowly. Students today should learn to code & use AI, but need strong general skills to be nimble & keep their job options open as workforce needs shift. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/p...

Math and Career Education Are Now Top Grant Priorities for Ed. Dept. The announcement outlines what the administration plans to champion after canceling hundreds of grants in the past few weeks.

Enjoyed talking with @edweek.org about the Department of Education's announcement that they plan to prioritize CTE. www.edweek.org/policy-polit...

Walt, Jeremy, and Demetri at a UM football game

GO BLUE from Michigan Higher Ed faculty!

Great job with an awesome team doing impactful work (and Detroit is super cool too!)

Accidentally just bit into an onion instead of an apple. I hope everyone is having a nice start to the semester!

Carson!!! Shhhhhh....don't speak it into existence! The groundhog said eight more weeks of summer!

Flyer announcing new website: www.step-in-cte.soe.umich.edu

Visit our page to learn more about the STEP-CTE lab!

-> www.step-in-cte.soe.umich.edu

On our website, you’ll find:

-Information about the STEP research project and team
-Blog posts from our team members,
-New reports, articles, & infographics
-Relevant research from members of our project team
-A place to sign up to receive regular e-mail updates

Flyer announcing our new website: www.step-in-cte.soe.umich.edu

STEP-CTE is a collaboration with Leon County Schools, led by researchers from the University of Michigan and Florida State University, funded by Institute of Education Sciences. Together, we’re exploring how CTE programs can better support HS students as they prepare for college, career, & beyond.

We’re excited to launch the Secondary Transitions and Education Pathways in Career and Technical Education (STEP-CTE) website, featuring highlights and emerging research focused on Career and Technical Education!
Visit our page -> www.step-in-cte.soe.umich.edu

Excited to dig into this book by @cmpech.bsky.social on a topic we know far too little about: