As educators it shouldn't be our priority to help students figure out their career! We should be focusing on helping to mold our students into successful individuals who will contribute to society in a positive and productive way. The human brain isn't fully developed until an individual reaches an age of 21+. We cannot possibly expect an adolescent to determine their life path at such an impressionable age. These students are still trying to figure out who they are. They need positive role models who encourage them, challenge them and provide them with the tools/skills to be successful in life.

Trades are academic programs. In Hairstyling alone we learn history - how has the trade evolved? Which cultures developed certain styles and why? Science - Formulating colours is chemistry, Mixing disinfectants is math and science! Technical Terminology is language. My trade may not identify as one single category but it includes several dimensions of learning. It offers students the opportunity to indulge in a variety of aspects and perhaps thats why it has become increasingly interesting to students who possess multiple intelligences.

In many broad based technological education courses practical assignments are detrimental to student success. Not only do students require technical skills, they also require transferable skills. The trades are misrepresented as less and not substantial. This couldn't be further from the truth. I feel these comments are generally made from individuals who aren't familiar with the trades.

A combination of technical and transferable skills can make us more adaptable to changes in the job market. In comparison to my trade, there are infinite opportunities to continually seek new knowledge and additional skill enhancement.

Education can be delivered Asynchronously. AI has developed drastically and the limits have not been reached quite yet. It would be asinine to assume an online lesson could not be delivered by an AI instructor.

Transferable skills are not limited to jobs requiring bachelor's degrees. Hairstylists develop excellent communication, teamwork, problem-solving and time-management skills.

If efforts are not successful should we not try other approaches? To succeed we must fail many times not just once. Categorizing "disadvantaged students" is not the solution to this issue. What approaches haven't we tried and in regards to the approaches that have been tested, why did they fail?

I appreciate that a law can help ensure that students from different backgrounds can participate in CTE. Equal opportunities for all is something I will incorporate into my classroom.

If not all students have the same access to Career and Technical Education we should be focusing on how to create an inclusive learning environment for all not how to replace jobs with automation. This presents more seclusion and division among society and further limits opportunity for professional development.

The increased awareness of AI and automation can help individuals prepare for these changes by developing skills that are transferrable across different careers, such as critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability. Soft skills are also a key component to success. They should be emphasized in a productive way to enhance student performance.

ChatGPT is a new resource used by individuals to enhance, explain and customize projects or comprehension of topics. Personally I haven't experienced using this program yet but I do recognize it's value to educators & students. The plagiarism aspect of it is concerning, so to prompt the AI before an assigned task would be beneficial to an educator. I would hope students have the morality to use it responsibly.

The risk of being replaced by machines or automated systems is a delusional perspective especially in my specific trade. The relationships and trust I have built with my clientele couldn't be subsidized by machines. I am not only valued as a talented stylist but also as a "Hairapist". I construct depth within my conversations to clients and continually enhance my skill set/techniques. Although, automation may acquire the manual dexterity to perform certain services it will never relate on a personal level the way human connections can.

They both provide students with hands-on training and real-world experience in their chosen field. While CTE is a broad term that encompasses a wide range of educational programs Vocational education is a specific type of CTE program that focuses on practical training. Career & Tech Ed is a modern term used to describe Vocational Ed programs.

If it is more difficult for people in these areas to integrate academic knowledge into their daily lives they should receive additional support to overcome this challenge through programs that provide academic resources, mentorship, and job training that may be available through community centres or educational institutes.