The Role of CTE in Bridging the Talent Gap

Contributors: Shea McMahon, Carrie Malatesta, Dan Leffingwell

The United States is staring down a looming labor shortage, and educators are standing at a critical juncture. Facing a dual challenge–addressing the pressing workforce needs of our communities while preparing students for a rapidly changing job market–educational institutions are navigating an increasingly complex and unpredictable landscape.

Fortunately, we believe that successfully charting a path forward is possible–and that career technical schools are uniquely equipped to lead this charge. To do so necessitates a strategic and collaborative approach built upon a data-driven understanding of the community, as well as a plan to align student aptitudes with the skillsets required for in-demand careers and the cultivation of community-wide learning ecosystems that support the workforce of tomorrow.

With the massive cohort of Baby Boomers retiring or preparing to retire, our national economy is facing a shortfall of millions of workers in the coming decade. Ohio will not be immune to this problem; in fact, the Buckeye State is already grappling with the growing talent gap. According to Ohio Manufacturers’ Association President Ryan Augsburger,  “Workforce is the No. 1 problem anywhere we go in Ohio.” Meanwhile, our population is shrinking, driven by an aging demographic, declining fertility, and stagnant migration patterns.

In addition to the shortage of talent entering the workforce, another complicating factor is muddying the waters: We don’t fully understand what the future of work looks like. The recent, meteoric rise of technology like AI and automation is “as significant as the mechanization of agriculture and manufacturing in previous generations,” according to McKinsey; with advanced technology transforming operations across most, if not all, industries, the nature of education will also change.

These are unprecedented times, but CTE schools, with their focus on providing students with hands-on education in high-demand fields, are well-positioned to address these uncertainties. By employing robust and data-driven strategies that go beyond traditional approaches, career centers can play a crucial role in filling the talent gap through better skill alignment. In fact, some of the methods we’re recommending are already being implemented in Ohio communities. Let’s explore.

Navigating an uncertain future demands a comprehensive and well-rounded understanding of the community as it stands today. To create an economic roadmap for the coming years, communities should invest in a regional talent supply and demand study that utilizes local data, including demographics, population projections, economic and employment trends, and emerging industry needs. A study like this can paint a clear picture of the current state of the economy and pinpoint which industries will be most in need of talent in the near future.

Indeed, a talent supply and demand study was a key first step for Gateway Community & Technical College as they developed a new campus master plan. In response to the rapidly changing landscape of education, Gateway’s leadership recognized the need to link academic goals and workforce needs with the college’s physical and operational infrastructure. SHP was commissioned to conduct a study that would paint a 10-year picture of the future employment market, as well supply of talent being educated throughout their region. With resulting data–including a list of the fastest-growing occupational groups–Gateway is now better equipped to make critical decisions about which programs to start, expand, or downsize, which will inform what campus investments are necessary to support student success.

We believe that personalized learning leads to more effective educational programs and improved employment outcomes for students, especially within CTE–but to personalize learning, we must first understand the person. By systematically collecting and analyzing data on student aptitudes, interests, and learning styles, CTE leaders can identify emerging talent pools and provide more tailored guidance and pathways for the workforce of tomorrow.

Programs like Future Plans already exist to help students identify strengths and skills that could position them for particular in-demand industries in their communities. The data collected can also uncover actionable insights for CTE institutions and the populations they serve. For instance, when analyzing Future Plans data from 17,000 students in southeast Ohio, for instance, we discovered a significant disparity between their stated career interests (e.g., health science, arts, communication) and their actual aptitudes (e.g., advanced manufacturing, construction). Early recognition of students’ strengths can prevent them from pursuing a career they aren’t well-suited for.

In fact, data from Future Plans has already made an impact at Collins Career Technical Center in Lawrence County, Ohio. “Future Plans and the GRIT Project are producing real results for us,” says Adam Pittis, Superintendent of Collins CTC. “Students gain clarity about their abilities, interests, values, and personality while also learning to apply their natural talents. Employers are benefiting from graduates who are better prepared both technically and professionally. And for the tri-state community, these efforts are strengthening the workforce pipeline, supporting local businesses, and expanding opportunity for families.”

Beyond data collection, personalized coaching will also be a critical component of aligning skillsets with career pathways. Our data suggests that a single 60-minute session can realign approximately 60% of students’ interests with their strengths, preventing the common hindsight realization that their initial interests weren’t the best fit.

Contributing to misaligned career pathways and underutilized talent is what we refer to as the “exposure gap.” Simply put, too many students lack the opportunity to explore different fields; in fact, two-thirds of students say they could have benefited from more career exposure in high school. When students only know about careers they see every day—nurses, teachers, law enforcement—it can prevent them from considering a wider array of fulfilling and in-demand professions.

Once again, the solution to bridging this gap lies in data. By analyzing information around student aptitudes and the specific needs of the community and broader economy, career technical schools can strategically prioritize access and exposure to high-growth, in-demand careers. This approach ensures that students are not only aware of these opportunities but also equipped with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to pursue them successfully.

No single person or entity can solve the looming talent gap on their own; moreover, there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution for this issue. Any plan for the future will be heavily dependent on each community’s unique needs, and will require a collaborative, intentional approach. We argue that the ultimate goal for communities addressing workforce development should be the creation of a “learning ecosystem” –an interconnected web of institutions and providers that support learning, growth and development in the community.

Think about it: Entities like early childhood and childcare providers, K-12 schools, career centers, colleges and universities, credentialing programs, libraries, and more already play an essential role in growing young minds and developing the workforce of the future. Their existing infrastructure and established presence make them ideal catalysts for workforce development initiatives. By breaking down silos and working as a united front, a learning ecosystem can develop a robust workforce playbook and help bridge the gap between the supply and demand of talent within our communities.

The creation of a community-backed learning ecosystem is one of the goals of Workforce 30, a year-long study being conducted by the Washington State College of Ohio (WSCO) and facilitated by SHP, which has brought together stakeholders from the entire community to understand the county’s wider workforce supply and demand goals. The study included a comprehensive analysis of the regional labor market in southeast Ohio, which revealed:

• 207,000 workers aged 50-64 are preparing to leave the workforce and 118,000 under 15 are preparing to enter–a gap of 89,000 people
• The majority of the region’s population (74.3%) is born and raised in their current county of residence
• Transplants who relocate from elsewhere make up just 25.7% of the population

With this data, we can presume that population growth will not be a piece of the region’s economic future; instead, the southeast Ohio community will need to shift its strategies to fill the upcoming need for talent through productivity enhancement and better alignment of skillsets. Knowing this, we are now in the midst of a wide-reaching stakeholder engagement effort that includes representatives of the local learning ecosystem and the business community within Washington State College’s service area. These community partners will inform the development of the Mid-Ohio Valley Learning Master Plan—a strategic roadmap for the next 30 years of workforce development.

“The Workforce 30 project includes key training providers who are working to envision the future needs of our local economy,” notes Tony Huffman, Superintendent of Washington County Career Center. “This will help us align workforce programs with expected economic development.”

Within this collaborative framework, CTE schools are uniquely positioned to organize and lead the dialogue. Given their well-established relationships with local schools, businesses and government officials, CTE leaders can initiate conversations, present data and encourage broader community involvement.

The challenges ahead are significant, but so are the opportunities. By embracing a data-driven approach that connects student aptitudes to community needs and fosters collaboration across the learning ecosystem, career technical education leaders can effectively prepare students for the future of work. This is not just about filling jobs; it’s about building a more resilient, inclusive and prosperous community for everyone.