Career and Technical Education Needs Teachers, Too

While much attention focuses on traditional K–12 staffing shortages, Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs face their own crisis. These programs are mission-critical—yet two-thirds of states report shortages in at least one CTE specialty, and administrators say filling CTE roles is harder than academic ones (57% vs. 39% difficulty).

Multiple Pathways, Multiple Shortages

CTE spans emerging healthcare, IT, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, hospitality, and more. In fields like manufacturing (81% of states), IT (73%), and health sciences (71%), vacancies are widespread—driven by higher pay in industry and thin preparation pipelines. States like Minnesota report that 40–54% of positions in manufacturing, construction, and medicine are filled with emergency licenses—just to keep programs running, according to PBS NewsHour.

Across nearly all states, CTE teacher shortages have persisted for a decade or more, especially in rural districts where it's hard to attract and retain licensed professionals.

Why It Matters—for Students and the Workforce

Strong CTE programs boost engagement, graduation rates, and postsecondary earnings—especially for low-income and rural students. Without qualified CTE teachers in high-demand fields, students lose access to high-skill, industry-relevant instruction—weakening both education equity and local workforce pipelines.

Strategies Districts Are Using

Many districts and states are innovating to meet the gap:

• Alternative certification and adjunct pathways allow professionals with technical expertise to teach part-time or part-year, often co-teaching with credentialed instructors. (The Freedonia Group, PBS)
• Licensing flexibility is expanding. In Minnesota and Tennessee, reforms allow associate’s-degree holders or industry experts to teach on provisional licenses—sometimes counting prior work as teaching experience. (Government Technology)
• Partnerships with community colleges and industry create pipelines into classrooms—and feed local economic sectors while students earn dual credits or certifications. (The Freedonia Group)

Craft Education’s Role: Making Data Work for CTE Pathways

Building successful CTE staffing models requires more than creative licensure—it requires data and accountability. Districts and states receiving federal Perkins V funds must report complex metrics across recruitment, program quality, equity, and post-program outcomes.

Craft Education’s platform helps districts and CTE providers track learner progress across multiple programs and geographies, enabling streamlined Perkins V reporting, aggregated dashboards for state and district leaders, and transparent, longitudinal compliance without manual spreadsheets.

We help career pathway leaders and higher ed partners document:

• student progress across CTE courses and certifications,
• demographic outcomes and equity indicators,
• time-to-certification and retention outcomes for new teachers.

How This Helps Policy & Practice

With accurate dashboards:

• District leaders can better project staffing needs, spot lagging specialties, and build long-term teacher pipelines.
• CTE program directors can satisfy reporting requirements and make data-informed recruitment or licensure changes.
• State agencies gain aggregate visibility into regional gaps, equity outcomes, and licensing bottlenecks—informing legislation and funding strategy.

Toward a Multi-Pathway Ecosystem

To address the national CTE teacher shortage, stakeholders must:

1. Map multiple staffing pathways, including industry-to-teaching transitions, adjunct or co-teaching models, traditional routes, and apprenticeship-like residencies.
2. Collaborate on flexible licensing, aligning with state reforms to reduce barriers while maintaining rigor.
3. Use data platforms like Craft Connect to synthesize academic, certification, mentorship, and employment outcomes.
4. Advocate through policy for funding—and refine Perkins V equity measures to incentivize inclusive staffing growth.

Honoring Higher Education & District Investments

We deeply respect the dedication of colleges, universities, and CTE instructors who have long prepared students for technical careers. Our goal is not to replace that expertise but to support and amplify it—by providing tools that preserve program integrity while easing administrative burdens.

Craft believes that collaboration among higher ed, districts, and CTE providers—backed by rigorous data—is the strongest path forward.

Decision-Maker Action Steps

• Audit current CTE staffing across pathways and licensure types.
• Explore alternative licensing pilots, especially in high-growth fields like IT and health sciences.
• Pilot data-driven approaches to track teacher pipeline outcomes and equity metrics.
• Partner with Craft or similar platforms to streamline Perkins V and staffing reporting.