The Oregonian published a great package this week about the resurgence of career education in Oregon K-12 schools. Education reporter Laura Frazier provided a comprehensive look at some promising trends in career technical education.

Main article: “After years of decline, Oregon rebuilds school-to-career programs.”

Supporting article: “Labor, business leaders help bolster career education.”

Supporting article: “Two pathways to career success started in high school.”

Here’s an excerpt from the main article:

Over the past 15 years, as employment trends increasingly favored skilled workers, Oregon public schools cut the number of career and technical education programs nearly in half, according to an analysis by The Oregonian/Oregonlive. Now education and industry leaders are restoring programs for traditional careers in manufacturing and trades and creating new ones in such high-demand areas as technology and health services.

“There’s a growing awareness that these kinds of CTE classes are needed, but we still have a long way to go,” said Kevin Jeans Gail, executive director of Portland Workforce Alliance. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get those students committed to family wage jobs.”