Partnering for Success: The CTE Education and Counseling Connection

Are your school counselors and CTE leads working together to ensure every student succeeds, no matter what future path they choose?

You’ve probably heard the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Schools are a big part of this village, helping to prepare students for success. When educators—teachers, counselors, administrators, and others—work together, they can better support students.

Since there’s no one-size-fits-all career path, teamwork between classroom teachers and counselors is crucial. Together, they can guide students exploring Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses and Work-Based Learning (WBL) opportunities. It takes a united effort, with coordinated programs and activities within the school, to help students chart their ideal career paths.

Thriving Together: The Need for Collaboration and Communication

Educators today are facing mounting pressures from various stakeholders. A recent study by Pew Research revealed the following about teachers:

• 77% report their job is frequently stressful.
• 68% find it overwhelming.
• 70% believe their school is understaffed.

The National Board for Certified Counselors has also highlighted the burnout and stress experienced by counselors, which is exacerbated by the average 500:1 student-to-counselor ratio. This high ratio significantly impacts the quality of student services.

When overwhelmed at work, individuals often retreat into their responsibilities, tuning out others. However, when educators break out of these silos and collaborate, it not only eases their burden, but also benefits students. This means that effective communication between school counselors and educators is crucial for successful Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Work-Based Learning (WBL) programs, as well-implemented programs can provide essential support and resources to students. 

Stronger as a Team

Traditionally, counselors have been seen as focused on future planning with students (among many other duties), while CTE departments have concentrated on guiding students considering career pathways other than a four-year college path. 

CTE educators also work to improve and expand their programs and partnerships so that students gain the skills they need to succeed. Often working as a department of one—with limited support, resources, and time—they must constantly advocate for their program’s value to secure funding and recognition. 

Despite the different focus and challenges, both are dedicated to ensuring CTE students –  and all students – succeed after high school. When these two departments collaborate, they help students find the right path that balances academic success and career readiness.

School administrators can support this collaboration by encouraging regular meetings between the departments. This allows them to align their objectives and common goals, and better understand the needs and challenges of their students.

For example, when setting up one of your first meetings to go over joint objectives, Counseling and CTE departments should consider setting an agenda that encourages each department to explain their current processes, measures, and roadblocks. 

This can also be a great opportunity for knowledge sharing. Counselors may have their own perspectives and insights to share with the CTE folks. CTE educators can also impart their unique viewpoints and share how they’ve dealt with hurdles or what their processes are when it comes to handling certain obstacles. While collaborating, be sure to respect each other’s unique perspectives and processes. 

With a clearer understanding of each department’s challenges, you’ll likely uncover areas where processes can be merged rather than kept separate. Once dialogue has started, it’s important to keep lines of communication open. Bringing groups together, and getting them to gel takes time. But in the end, this collaboration will lead to a more engaged and successful student population, which benefits all departments.  

 By recognizing their shared mission, they can work together more effectively and provide better support for students.

Supporting the Whole Student 

When counselors and Career and Technical Education (CTE) educators team up, they can offer students comprehensive support. Counselors often have a deeper understanding of each student’s strengths and interests, while CTE personnel know what skills and interests are needed for success in various high-skill career fields.

Students need guidance to navigate their chosen career paths, whether those paths involve further education or CTE programs. Counselors are trained to provide this initial support, which is the first step toward career success. When CTE educators understand a student’s unique qualities, they can better guide them to the technical field that suits them best.

The next step is ensuring students have the technical skills needed to succeed in their chosen careers, which is where CTE educators excel. In high-quality CTE programs, educators consider both the student’s technical skills and personal interests.

Collaboration between counselors and CTE personnel allows both to get to know the whole student and help them to navigate the path they’re most suited for. When educators in both fields work together, it fosters a positive and supportive learning environment that communicates to students they have the support they need to succeed.

CTE Programs Expose Students to Various Career Pathways

Young people/students in every generation ask themselves questions about their future. A recent survey of high school students found today’s students are asking the following four questions as they consider their future:

• Do I need a college degree?
• What skills should K-12 schools teach me?
• How can work and life coexist?
• How do I achieve my dreams?

Each of these questions ties back to students questioning career pathways. They have dreams and goals, like every generation, but don’t know how to achieve them.

As part of their career exploration journey, students should develop a good understanding of their strengths and interests. Students can then consider career pathways that best utilize those strengths and interests. Educators can help them create personalized learning plans that empower students to grow their skills, further develop their strengths, and align with career goals. When schools offer a wide range of classes and other learning opportunities, students get an education that fits their needs, and they’re positioned to succeed.

WBL Programs Offer Powerful Exploration Opportunities

WBL programs let students step out of the classroom and into the real working world, offering experiences that could have life-long impact. These programs – which include internships, job shadowing, and apprenticeships – give students a taste of different career paths and futures, helping them hone in on their strengths, and demystify some of their options before they commit to their post-secondary education or career. 

Exposure to the work world through WBL often sparks excitement in students and motivates them to stay committed to their education. Creating a positive WBL experience is a joint effort between counselors and CTE educators. Together, they can build connections with local businesses and organizations, encouraging them to work with students and provide authentic learning experiences that can lead to successful careers.

While students receive technical education in school, even the most advanced CTE facilities can’t fully replicate the real-world workplace.

WBL programs also give students the chance to apply classroom skills in real-world settings, confirming their value. This exposure to authentic workplaces encourages students to learn, ask questions, find their fit, and explore various career options.

Xello Supports Collaboration Between Educational Teams 

Xello’s college and career and readiness program engages students and gets them excited about planning their future without overburdening educators. Xello’s self-directed assessments, lessons, and course planning tools, designed to help students explore and learn where they may fit in the world. 

With our state-of-the-art reporting, counselors and CTE educators can share information about their students based on their activity in the program and can work together to provide better guidance, and even pinpoint moments to intervene to provide more support to students. Xello provides a single source to view students’ progress and plans. This makes collaboration between the two departments that much easier. 

With the Xello WBL module, educators can easily organize, track, and expand their database of contacts, opportunities, and requests. The platform also provides quick access to the data needed to meet state mandates and measure program success. 

Please click here to discover how Xello can help your school or district deliver a better college and career readiness experience for all your students.