CTE Students Through the COVID‐19 Era: Understanding Program Value and Key Lessons Learned

ABSTRACT Career and technical education (CTE) has long emphasized intensive, hands‐on learning experiences. Although other academic areas have increasingly adopted online and hybrid formats, CTE instruction has traditionally relied upon in‐person, laboratory‐based environments. However, state and institutional policy responses to the COVID‐19 pandemic forced many CTE programs to limit campus access, with some transitioning entirely online. This significant shift created an opportunity to examine how different modes of course delivery affected students by analyzing Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) data from the years immediately preceding and following the pandemic. Among the key findings is a continued increase in the prevalence of online CTE courses.