Young Commends Career and Technical Education Reauthorization

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) commended House and Senate passage of career and technical education (CTE) legislation this week. The statute was last updated in 2006 and was due for reauthorization six years ago. The legislation now heads to the President’s desk. 

“As a Co-Chair of the Senate CTE Caucus, I’m very proud of the work we have done in the Senate to advance career and technical education and to ensure our students have the training and skills needed to succeed in today’s ever-changing workforce,” said Senator Young. “We critically needed to update the law to reflect the current and future workforce, and I am pleased that the House overwhelmingly passed the Senate CTE bill. I look forward to it becoming law soon.” 

Click here to watch Senator Young’s floor speech. 

Remarks as prepared for delivery below:

I rise today to speak in support of career and technical education, known as CTE.  

As a Co-Chair of the Senate CTE Caucus, along with my colleagues Senator Kaine, Senator Portman, and Senator Baldwin, I’m very proud of the work we have done in the Senate to advance CTE and to ensure our students have the training and skills needed to succeed in today’s ever-changing workforce. 

The career and technical education statute was last updated in 2006 – and was due for reauthorization six years ago.  

Earlier this week, the Senate passed a historic agreement to update the law and make a number of important changes. I was proud to help pass this legislation out of the HELP Committee and through the full Senate. 

Yesterday, the House also passed this reauthorization, sending it to the President’s desk.

Here are just a few reasons why investing in CTE is so critical: 

• By 2020, 30 percent of job openings will require some college or a two-year degree.  

• In the next ten years, three million workers will be required for the nation’s infrastructure needs.

• High school students who take CTE classes have higher graduation rates and are more likely to find employment or attain higher education.  

• Postsecondary CTE programs are also a cost effective means to obtain a credential or other degree.

This reauthorization bill also includes important components from legislation introduced by the Senate CTE Caucus. 

The Educating Tomorrow’s Workforce Act, and the Perkins Fund for Equity and Excellence Actare two key bills that help align CTE programs with the jobs of tomorrow and ensure that quality is maintained and strengthened.  

The reauthorization also includes provisions from a bill that I helped introduce with Senator Peters to support training for career guidance and academic counselors so that they can help inform students of opportunities in the workforce.  

And it includes a measure Senator Gillibrand and I worked on to encourage professional development training using hands-on learning approaches like makerspaces, which provide students the tools and space needed to build, create, and learn critical skills. 

In conclusion, we critically needed to update the law to reflect the current and future workforce. I am pleased that the House overwhelmingly passed the Senate CTE bill. And I look forward to it becoming law soon.