The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is the largest professional national education organization that is dedicated to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for careers.

Many college graduates are still considering what life beyond school has in store for them. I have heard more and more conversation about new grads who are exploring further education to get specific job skills. ACTE is urging these new grads to take a second look at Technical Education and Vocational Training programs.

When asked about the value of career and technical education in the FAQs on their website, ACTE cites the following statistics:

1. Career and technical education graduates are 10-15 percent more likely to be in the labor force.

2. Career and technical education graduates are also 8-9% more than graduates of total academic programs.

3. If you are graduating soon and still unsure of your future, remember that additional training does not always mean grad school for a masters degree. In fact I know HBCU grads who registered for specialized programs including Funeral School or IT Certifications from 2-year schools.