I have visited high schools across New York City and have observed a common scene, the vocational classrooms once thriving with vitality and promise, now sit shuttered and frozen in time.
New York City students may have access to promising careers in healthcare, technology, business, law, and skilled trades in theory—but not necessarily in practice. Transportation barriers, limited career counseling, unpaid internships, language and accessibility gaps, and uneven access to high-quality Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs can determine who gets an opportunity and who gets left behind.
For decades, the College-for-All movement shifted attention away from hands-on learning and direct connections to industry. Now, as students increasingly explore technical training, apprenticeships, and alternative pathways to employment, the workforce and higher education are evolving.
Yet, across NYC, former journalism newsrooms, woodshops, and automotive garages sit empty—reminders of the career-connected learning opportunities we once offered and could revitalize. Over two thirds of NYC high schools do not have formal vocational programs leaving the city’s students traveling distances to access these beneficial opportunities.
The question is no longer whether career pathways matter. It’s whether every student can access them.
If we want to advance equity, strengthen our workforce, and fill critical industry talent pipelines, we must invest in accessible CTE programs, meaningful career exposure, employer partnerships, and the supports students need to participate.
Talent is everywhere. Opportunity should be, too.
What would it take to make career-connected learning accessible to every NYC student, regardless of their school or ZIP code?
#CareerConnectedLearning #CTE #EducationalEquity #WorkforceDevelopment #FutureOfWork #NYCeducation
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