Exploring Community College Student and Alumni Experience and Value of Career and Technical Education

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study explores how students and alumni of community college career and technical programs value their education. Participants for this study were cultivated from a variety of community colleges. The following prevalent themes emerged from the data, economic independence, access to a better lifestyle, and gaining self-confidence. It is concluded that career and technical education appears to be a means to an end for many of the participants of this study. Students and alumni appeared to value their community college career and technical education because it provided them with job skills, thereby, affording them social-mobility and economic stability in a relatively short time frame. Some participants were enrolled in a community college career and technical program as a stepping stone to earning a bachelor‘s degree.