College AND Career

I was having a discussion with both a colleague, Anna Strassner, and my college roommate and friend recently (we both have kids in high school, college and beyond), and we were speaking about the phrase “College OR Career.”?

The Genius of AND

In having these conversations, I remembered something that I used to say a lot in my time as a school educator and administrator, “The Genius of AND.” (A phrase I learned from Jim Collins book,?Built to Last.?Builders of greatness reject the "Tyranny of the OR" and embrace the "Genius of the AND.”)

As a school principal, we should not have to choose between providing:

• Strong academics OR providing leadership skills and supporting students socially & emotionally. ?
• Innovative learning opportunities (STEM, Project-based learning, Personalized Learning, etc.) OR foundational skills in reading, writing & math
• Curriculum opportunities to ensure that all students are proficient on state standards OR challenge all students regardless of where they were on the learning continuum
• Math fact fluency OR conceptual understanding?

You get the idea.? It really shouldn’t come down to “This or That.”? In most cases we NEED to do BOTH.? Hence, the phrase “ The Genius of And,” and how this leads to school greatness and individual greatness.

And so it is with preparing students for College AND Career.

We can do both, and we NEED to do both.

Regardless of whether a student is going to college or not, the skills that students learn in CTE (Career Technical Education) will support them in their academic pursuits, professional lives, and their personal lives. ?

For example, if a student is going to college to go into Construction Management, doesn’t it make sense that this student learn skills such as Blueprint Reading, Precision Measurement, or Construction Safety, etc.?

If a student is going to college to be a doctor or nurse, doesn’t it make sense to expose this student to the foundational skills required to provide a safe, effective care that meets patients’ needs and improves health outcomes for communities and populations?

And, if a student is not going to college, doesn’t it make sense to help provide them the skills, the knowledge and a pathway to a career in high paying, high demand jobs??

In either case, our goal should be to empower learners through comprehensive career pathways exposure and training so that they can navigate career paths, enhance job satisfaction, and adapt to the evolving job market.?

Having a Background in CTE, is both helpful and fulfilling (Personally & Professionally).

Lastly, isn’t it just a good thing to have the skills and knowledge to follow one’s passions, and have the ability to know how to do things that come up in all of our everyday lives? Whether it is knowing how to help a sick child, ascertain what is wrong with your car, maintain your house or do a home project; having a background in CTE, is both helpful and fulfilling.

*At Transfr we train students for well-paying careers, in high-demand fields, enabling learners to find job security and upward mobility, facilitated by immersive, hands-on VR training.

Transfr solutions are carefully crafted to deliver high-quality education and provide the support required for students to explore new careers and succeed. Transfr solutions aim to nurture collaboration among educational institutions and