Using Latent Class Analysis to Link Career and Technical Education in Adolescence and Work and School Transitions in Young Adulthood

Abstract

Career and technical education (CTE) has recently gained national attention as a means of promoting college and career readiness. However, little is known about the joint trajectories of school and work during and following CTE participation in high school. Using the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002, we conducted latent class analyses to examine latent pathways connecting high school CTE participation with employment during high school, as well as the subsequent educational and work transitions. Four latent pathways were identified, defined as: (a) CTE-to-work pathway, (b) BA-focused pathway, (c) Workfocused pathway, and (d) low-career motivation pathway. Analysis of the precursors revealed that male students tend to follow work-related paths and females tend to take more education-focused paths. Further, higher math and reading test scores, and higher parental socioeconomic background were associated with a higher likelihood of taking the BA-focused pathway as opposed to the CTE-to-work pathway, and of taking the CTE-to-work pathway compared to the work-focused and low-career motivation pathways. Both the BA-focused and CTE-to-work groups had relatively higher earnings and job satisfaction compared to the other two latent path groups.