Companies will be able to train prospective employees right from the classroom, officials say.
Administrators of career/vocational technical education programs predict their future will depend more on technology than ever before.
Clyde Hornberger, a retired executive director at Lehigh Career and Technical Institute in Schnecksville and an educational consultant, says it's no question the future of such schools will be driven by technology and blended learning within the next decade.
“Yes, we do much of that now, but as technology improves we will find new ways to develop students' knowledge and skills,” he says. “There will be more advanced simulators and online learning, but we will always prepare students on real world applications and state-of-the-art equipment.”
Hornberger also predicts an even more increasing demand for higher academic skills, problem-solving and teamwork.
“Innovation will drive business and industry, and career and technical education will capitalize on the same innovation because the focus will continue to be on the replication of the modern workplace," he says. "Change will be constant and technical skill specialization will be in demand."
Brian Williams, executive director at Bethlehem Area Vocational Technical School, says schools will need to be more flexible than ever in order to prepare students to meet the needs of employers and post-secondary education markets.
View full sizeInstructor John O'Connell, left, works with student Luisanny Javier or William Allen High School, as they roll dough for pretzels during culinary arts classes at Lehigh Career and Technical Institute. "They will be seeking both specific trade-related skills, higher academic skills and strong employability skills in our program completers," Williams says. "We need to produce these broad-based skills to meet the challenges employers are facing in both finding and retaining talented workers."
Sandra Himes, LCTI's current executive director, and Ron Roth, director at the Career Institute of Technology in Forks Township, both say students likely will be doing more e-learning in the future with lessons studied outside of the classroom. They say interaction between companies and schools will be easier with the use of technology.
There also could be individualized training by a company for a designated future employee, Himes says, noting the student would come to school, log into the company and begin his or her personalized training by the company that intends to hire them.
“We will be able to visit the companies without leaving the classrooms,” Himes says. “Employees in the companies will be able to teach concepts used in their company directly to our students from the floor of the work site.
"Technology will change everything and the school will need to keep up or face elimination."