Feb 27 Pennsylvania’s Future Needs Skilled Workers, CTE Can Teach Them

(February 27, 2026)

This Bold Voices blog post was written by some of Allies for Children’s partners about a subject that is relevant to their work as well as ours.

Today’s blog was written by: Judd Pittman, Director of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Career and Technical Education, and Briana Mihok, Executive Director of the Education Resource Center, Penn State Greater Allegheny.

As Pennsylvania joins the nation in celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, we are reminded of the critical role that the Commonwealth played in forming and sustaining the United States of America. 

Home to the birthplace of the labor movement in the anthracite mines of Schuylkill County, the creation of the polio vaccine at the University of Pittsburgh, the development of the first commercial chocolate factory in Hershey, and the establishment of public education by advocates like Thaddeus Stevens, Pennsylvania has been defined throughout its history by people unafraid of new ideas and hard work. As we reconnect with the past, we need to leverage this historical knowledge to ensure that the next generation of Pennsylvanians has the skills necessary to continue the Commonwealth’s tradition of leading the nation in innovation. 

Pennsylvania is not alone in experiencing the societal and economic shifts spurred by technologies like Artificial Intelligence. As these technological advancements disrupt our traditional understanding of work, learners in Pennsylvania see value in attaining resilient skills, such as those taught throughout career and technical education (CTE) programs in Western Pennsylvania and across the Commonwealth. 

Current economic trends in Pennsylvania signal growth in the energy and construction sectors, with occupational demand for electricians, carpenters, operating engineers, and machinists exceeding 6,800 annual openings. However, CTE programs that serve as pathways to these occupational opportunities are too often the programs with local student waitlists. 

Along with waitlists, enrollment for CTE programs has grown significantly over the past five years as learners and their families have realized the fulfilling work that is associated with careers in the skilled trades. In that same period, CTEprograms have modernized, expanding to include pre-apprenticeships and dual enrollment. Many programs, like those in the advanced manufacturing or healthcare clusters, can lead either to immediate careers or postsecondary degrees. Learners in both traditional and emerging programs have found joy in recognizing how the academic skills taught in elementary, middle, and high school are connected to marketable resilient skills.

As we celebrate CTE month and America250, it is time for communities and policy makers to listen to the signals coming from this generation of learners and deliver educational programs that offer relevant, authentic pathways. CTE provides both technical competencies traditionally associated with the skilled trades and employability skills like communication, critical thinking, and collaboration. These are the resilient skills learners will need to weather the uncertainty brought by the pace of technological change. Expanding access to CTEn will enable thousands of learners currently sitting on waitlists to chase their dreams and pursue family-sustaining careers here in Pennsylvania.

To do this, we need to create flexible career and technical education pathways as illustrated in the new career clusters framework adopted by the State Board of Career and Technical Education. We need to foster true collaboration and innovation as exemplified by the efforts being led by schools like Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center.

We as leaders need to rise to the challenge, so that all students can build these resilient skills. We as leaders need to provide more opportunities for all Pennsylvanians to chart their course to family-thriving careers, enabling the Commonwealth to continue being the bedrock of American prosperity for the next 250 years.