Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart today announced that industry certification completions are on the rise. In 2015-16, high school students earned a total of 81,970 industry certifications, and in 2016-17, that number jumped to 102,044.
Governor Rick Scott said, “Today’s great news shows that more of our students are getting prepared for future success. Over the past seven years, we have worked to provide our students with the resources they need to enter the workforce and begin great careers in Florida, and we will continue to do all we can to increase learning and job opportunities for students across our state.”
Education Commissioner Pam Stewart said, “Tomorrow’s work force is sitting in our classrooms today, and it is critical that Florida students are prepared for a successful future. Industry certifications offer Florida students lifelong learning opportunities that will open the door to high-skill, high-demand career opportunities.”
Career and Technical Education (CTE) opportunities provide students with a school-to-career connection. More than 400,000 Florida students are enrolled in secondary technical education programs.
Career and Adult Education Chancellor Rod Duckworth said, “Career and Technical Education provides students the opportunity to prepare for a career while in high school and move on to further post-secondary education. The Industry Certification component of CTE provides students with a business and industry recognized credential that is another tool in their educational tool box. We are fortunate in Florida that all 67 school districts in the state have CTE programs as part of their educational system.”
There are a number of academic benefits associated with participation in CAPE Industry Certification programs.
- Middle school and high school CAPE participants had higher average GPAs than their non-CAPE counterparts.
- Middle school and high school CAPE participants were less likely to have been chronically absent than their non-CAPE counterparts.
- High school CAPE participants were less likely to have dropped out of school than non-CAPE students.
- Students who earned a certification were more likely to take Advanced Placement or dual enrollment courses than students who did not earn a certification.
- The earning of industry certifications and, in some instances, CAPE participation are correlated with higher student performance among high school students.
CAPE Industry Certifications were earned in the following career clusters: agriculture, food and natural resources; architecture and construction; arts, A/V technology and communications; business, management and administration; education and training; engineering and technology education; health science; hospitality and tourism; information technology; law, public safety and security; manufacturing; and transportation, distribution and logistics. To learn more about Career and Technical Education in Florida, visit the Florida Department of Education’s Career and Technical webpage.
