High school career and technical education (CTE) programs have emerged as a popular strategy for improving young people’s chances of finding—and keeping—stable jobs. Taught by former industry professionals and structured around hands-on projects, CTE aims to equip students with knowledge and skills to thrive in the workforce.

Despite this wealth of attention, we know relatively little about the efficacy of CTE programs. Stakeholders like parents, students, state and local administrators all have a vested interest in better understanding the predictors and outcomes of CTE participation. This brief aims to begin that conversation by shedding light on access to and enrollment in Michigan’s high school CTE programs.