Written by Marcie Kamb, July 29, 2024
Today, keeping up with workforce trends, skills, and demands is a global challenge. The Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE) at Ohio State’s College of Education and Human Ecology (EHE) is at the forefront of workforce transformation.
Partnering with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and its International Centers for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (UNEVOC), CETE develops innovative strategies for skills development and lifelong learning. As one of only two United Nations Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) centers in America, CETE is a beacon of expertise and collaboration, contributing to the college’s foundational pillar of internationalization.
Membership in the UNESCO-UNEVOC Network
CETE’s vision is to develop skills for all individuals to learn, work and live, bridging research and practice through work in assessment, curriculum and training, online learning and professional learning for educators. CETE is also home to the Developing a Curriculum (DACUM) International Training Center, providing job and occupation analysis used worldwide for over 40 years and in over 58 countries.
This process offers components that successfully support job and occupational analysis for organizations, including community colleges, companies, government agencies and professional organizations. These directly support UNESCO’s strategy to enhance private-sector partnerships to develop skills for sustainable economies. This process also ensures the mobility of learners and workers across borders and industries.
UNESCO’s efforts to establish an international, quality framework for microcredentials serves as a priority for CETE as well. This framework provides universally accepted definitions, quality assurance standards and principles for stacking and interoperability. CETE’s Online Learning program aligns with these global standards, offering digital badges, noncredit academic certificates and other alternative credentials valued by professionals seeking to upskill. By staying ahead in this arena, CETE ensures that learners are equipped with qualifications recognized and valued on the international stage.
Building international alliances: CETE and Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan)
With internationalization being one of the core values of EHE, CETE’s active participation in UNEVOC, the UNESCO network, centers this value. CETE partners with the Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), a network of nearly 140 colleges and institutes that is the largest postsecondary education network in Canada, as part of UNEVOC’s North American Cluster. This partnership involves monthly exchanges of expertise, research and news with an international audience. CETE also actively collaborates with other UNEVOC and UNESCO groups and networks, contributing to North American activities focused on addressing technical and vocation education training challenges worldwide.
CETE’s contributions to World Youth Skills Day
CETE participates in World Youth Skills Day, an annual celebration of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship that takes place every July. CETE recognizes that in-demand skills are key to young people’s success and works to equip educators, community leaders and training professionals and families with resources to effectively engage with youth as they prepare for independent adulthood.
The family engagement program area at CETE provides resources across many areas of education, such as literacy, career development and special education, for parents and educators. These resources help families and schools partner closely with adolescents’ career exploration.
The Professional Learning for Educators Program team supports prospective and current pre-K-12 educators in obtaining teaching licenses and provides professional development to hone the craft of teaching. Special efforts are made to provide professional learning to pre-service and in-service teachers in high-needs school districts, aiming to improve instruction and academic achievement.
CETE’s Assessment Program is proud to prepare today’s youth for tomorrow’s workforce, administering workforce assessments to over 150,000 students annually. For decades, this program has partnered with career-technical education instructors across the state to create high-quality exams for the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s 300+ career-technical education programs. This hands-on learning is one of the many ways that can help prepare students for real-world careers.
Along these lines, the Curriculum and Training Program creates learning experiences to improve outcomes for individuals along flexible pathways for lifelong learning in educational and workplace environments. The program supports youth and adults in career awareness and exploration across in-demand careers in sectors such as technology, healthcare and advanced manufacturing, highlighting the skills needed to be successful in the classroom and on the jobsite.
“This summer, we worked with approximately 50 high school students, introducing them to the telecommunications industry,” said Traci Lepicki, associate director of operations and strategic initiatives and director of the Curriculum and Training Program.
“Through virtual reality simulations, the youth learned about careers in broadband and 5G, exploring innovations and leading-edge roles that have evolved in the modern economy.”
Equity, diversity and inclusion are integral to CETE’s work, centering the needs and voices of the communities served through research, empowerment and community strengthening.
CETE’s Equity, Engagement and Evaluation Program, in partnership with organizations like the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and Ohio Head Start Association, offer strategic planning, logic model development and comprehensive evaluations tailored to benefit educators and youth.
CETE’s Corrections Career-Technical Education Program supports approximately 30 new career-technical education teachers within Ohio’s Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and Department of Youth Services institutions annually. This support includes assistance with license program enrollment, coursework continuation, classroom observations, mentoring and feedback. Strong teachers serve as role models, equipping young people for successful lives upon release.
In summary, CETE’s role in international workforce transformation is profound. By aligning with UNESCO and UNEVOC initiatives, forging partnerships with organizations like CICan and actively participating in global events, CETE ensures that its contributions have a far-reaching impact and extend EHE internalization efforts. The Center’s efforts not only address current workforce challenges but also translate research into innovative practices, creating opportunities for youth and adult learners to learn, work and thrive in the future workplace.