Career and Technical Education (CTE) is intended to provide students with the knowledge and skills to be college and career-ready upon graduating high school. For the
Georgia graduation rate of 2023, it was reported that students involved in Career, Technical, and
Agricultural Education (CTAE) were 97.75%, which was 13.35 percentage points higher than
the overall student body graduation rate (Ga. DOE, 2024). This qualitative study explores the
experiences, perceptions, and career readiness of high school graduates who completed CTAE
pathways in Georgia. The primary aim is to examine how participation in CTAE programs,
specifically in the three components of career pathways, work-based learning (WBL), and career
and technical student organizations (CTSOs), influenced students’ preparedness for life after
high school. Through interviews with pathway completers, this study investigates how students
reflect on their CTAE experiences and the relevance of these experiences to their post-secondary
pursuits, whether in the workforce, higher education, or military service. The findings reveal that
CTAE participants perceive their involvement as instrumental in equipping them with valuable
technical skills, work-related knowledge, and confidence. Key characteristics of workforce
readiness, such as effective communication, problem-solving, and collaboration, were
highlighted by participants as outcomes of their CTAE experiences. This research provides
insights for educators, district leaders, and policymakers in refining CTAE programs to better
support students' career readiness and foster stronger connections between high school education
and the workforce. The results contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding the effectiveness
of career and technical education in preparing students for successful transitions into adulthood.
