Date of Award
2015
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Committee Chair
Stephen Laws
Abstract
This study examined the perceptions of community employers as to the skill levels of graduates from Career and Technology Education (CTE) programs. This study also examined the perceptions of former students of CTE programs. The skill level is the skills that the job market deem necessary to be successful in a particular industry. This study also determined if the skills being taught in secondary schools meet the needs of community employers.
Data were collected from several sources. Quantitative data were collected in the form of questionnaires distributed to 496 recent completers of CTE programs in Chester County School District and 247 employers in Chester County. The researcher had a goal of a 10-15% return rate. Qualitative data were collected via open-ended questions and one-on-one interviews. The qualitative and quantitative data were used to determine the needs of the local employers and to gain the perceptions of recent graduates and local employers as they pertain to the preparedness of new entrants into the workforce.
Historical data in the form of school performance data, individual student data, and Perkins Performance Indicators were utilized to examine the performance of the CTE program in Chester County School District.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Citation Information
Green, Lee Clinton, "Determining the Skills Gap: A Study of the Perceptions of Entry-Level Skills of Recent Career and Technology Education Completers" (2015). Education Dissertations and Projects. 147.
https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/education_etd/147
Comments
This study examined the perceptions of community employers as to the skill levels of graduates from Career and Technology Education (CTE) programs. This study also examined the perceptions of former students of CTE programs. The skill level is the skills that the job market deem necessary to be successful in a particular industry. This study also determined if the skills being taught in secondary schools meet the needs of community employers. Data were collected from several sources. Quantitative data were collected in the form of questionnaires distributed to 496 recent completers of CTE programs in Chester County School District and 247 employers in Chester County. The researcher had a goal of a 10-15% return rate. Qualitative data were collected via open-ended questions and one-on-one interviews. The qualitative and quantitative data were used to determine the needs of the local employers and to gain the perceptions of recent graduates and local employers as they pertain to the preparedness of new entrants into the workforce. Historical data in the form of school performance data, individual student data, and Perkins Performance Indicators were utilized to examine the performance of the CTE program in Chester County School District.