Bridging Academic and Vocational Pathways in Upper Secondary Education: Comparative Perspectives from Estonia and the United States

This article examines transformations in upper secondary vocational education in two countries – Estonia and the United States – focusing on the status and perception of vocational education and developments in curricula. A qualitative document analysis of policy reports, academic studies, and national statistics was conducted to compare how each country is bridging academic and vocational learning. Our findings indicate that well-designed reforms can play a key role in reshaping vocational education to promote flexibility and coherence between the vocational and academic tracks. The results show that in the USA, Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs have managed to significantly increase the interest and participation of young people in vocational education programs, and the latest data shows 85% of all high school graduates took at least one career and technical education course. Their experience serves as an important input for the further reform in Estonia.