Selected Findings

This report examines survey data on occupational program activities at the secondary and less than- 4-year postsecondary levels. It presents data on the use of skill competency lists for occupational programs, industry input in developing or adopting those competencies, and the credentialing of skill proficiencies. The findings on these indicators are based on schools and institutions that offered one or more occupational programs that prepared students for occupations examined in the surveys.

Overall, a majority (66 percent) of secondary schools offered one or more occupational programs that prepared students for the selected occupations: 35 percent of the schools offered 1 to 5 programs, 18 percent offered 6 to 10 programs, and another 13 percent offered more than 10 programs (Table 2). However, about one-third (34 percent) of the schools did not offer any program that prepare students for these occupations. ⁶ On average, vocational schools offered more occupational programs than did comprehensive schools; for example, 44 percent of vocational schools compared with 9 percent of comprehensive schools offered more than 10 programs for the listed occupations.

A large majority of less-than-4-year postsecondary institutions (90 percent) offered one or more programs for the selected occupations (Table 2). About half of the institutions offered 1 to 5 programs, another 11 percent offered 6 to 10 programs, and an additional 27 percent offered more than 10 programs. Two-year institutions offered considerably more programs than less-than-2-year institutions; for example, 43 percent of 2-year institutions compared with 5 percent of less-than-2-year institutions offered more than 10 programs that prepared students for the occupations. The large differences between 2-year and less-than-2-year institutions in the number of programs offered may skew the results for analyses based on "all of their programs" or "at least half of their programs," i.e., since less-than-2-year institutions offer fewer programs, it is easier to meet the criteria for "all of their programs" or "at least half of their programs." For this reason, comparisons between 2-year and less-than-2-year institutions will be discussed in relation to whether institutions meet the various criteria for "at least one of their programs."

Use of Skill Competencies

To provide a description of the use of skill competencies in occupational programs, respondents in both surveys were asked whether skill competency lists had been developed or adopted for programs that prepare students for each occupation considered in the surveys.

Most secondary schools with one or more of the relevant occupational programs had developed or adopted skill competency lists for their programs.

• About three-fourths (77 percent) of the schools had developed or adopted skill competency lists for all of their programs, 91 percent had competencies for at least half their programs, and 94 percent had them for at least one program (Table 2a).



• A large majority of secondary schools had developed or adopted skill competencies for programs offered in each of the six occupation areas. For example, 85 percent of the schools had competencies for all of their programs in business and marketing occupations, and 89 percent had competencies for at least one program in this occupation area (Table 3).



• Vocational schools were somewhat more likely than comprehensive schools to develop or adopt skill competencies for at least one program offered (99 versus 93 percent; Table 3). However, differences among vocational and comprehensive schools were not significant when all their programs or at least half of their programs were considered.

As with secondary schools, a large proportion of 2-year and less-than-2-year postsecondary institutions with one or more of the relevant occupational programs reported that skill competency lists had been developed or adopted for their programs.

• Seventy-seven percent of the institutions had developed or adopted skill competencies for all of the programs offered, 89 percent for at least half the programs offered, and 93 percent for at least one program (Table 5).



• A large majority of the institutions had skill competency lists for programs within each of the six occupation areas. For example, 75 percent had competencies for all of the programs offered for business and marketing occupations, and 82 percent used competencies for at least one program in the occupation area (Table 6).



• There were no significant differences among 2-year and less-than-2-year institutions in the use of skill competencies for at least one program offered by the institution (92 compared with 96 percent; Table 5 ). As pointed out earlier in this section of the report, large differences among 2- year and less-than-2-year institutions in the use of skill competencies for all of their programs or at least half of their programs are likely to be confounded by differences in the number of programs offered.

Industry Input in Skill Competency Development

Schools and postsecondary institutions were asked to indicate the extent of industry input in skill competency development, i.e., whether the skill competency lists were developed exclusively by individual course instructors, exclusively by group(s) of educators, primarily by educators with industry input, with about equal educator and industry input, or primarily/exclusively by industry. These variables were used to construct three measures of industry input: at least some industry input, at least equal input, and primary or exclusive industry input. ⁷

Among secondary schools that offered one or more occupational programs for occupations covered in the study, a substantial proportion had at least some industry input in developing skill competency lists for their occupational programs. Relatively fewer schools indicated that industry was at least equally involved as educators in the procedure. There were too few schools reporting primary or exclusive industry input to show the data in tables. ⁸

• About half (52 percent) of the schools had at least some industry input in skill competency development for all the programs offered, 70 percent of schools had this level of industry input for at least half their programs, and 77 percent for at least one program (Table 7).



• Compared with the proportion of schools reporting at least some industry input in skill competency development, relatively few schools indicated that industry was at least equally involved (as educators) in the procedure (Tables 7 and 9). Seventeen percent of schools had at least equal industry input in skill competency development for all occupational programs offered, 25 percent for at least half their programs, and 35 percent for at least one program (Table 9).



• Overall, the likelihood of industry involvement in skill competency development was greater for vocational than comprehensive schools; for instance, vocational schools were more likely than comprehensive schools to report at least some industry input in skill competency development for at least one program offered (93 versus 74 percent; Table 7). This difference was consistent for programs that prepared students for each occupation area except health occupations and service occupations (Table 8).



• Considering at least equal industry input in skill competency development, vocational schools were more likely than comprehensive schools to report this level of industry involvement in at least one program offered by the school (50 versus 32 percent; Table 9). However, this difference was consistent only for programs that prepared students for building trades (39 versus 22 percent; Table 10). ⁹

As with secondary schools, a majority of 2-year and less-than-2-year postsecondary institutions with one or more relevant occupational programs reported at least some industry input in developing or adopting skill competency lists for their programs. Relatively fewer institutions indicated that industry was at least equally involved in the procedure, and the institutions with primary or exclusive industry input in skill competency development were too few to be reported. ¹⁰

• About two-thirds of postsecondary institutions had at least some industry input in skill competency development for all programs offered, 77 percent reported this level of industry involvement for at least half their programs, and 83 percent for at least one program (Table 11).



• Compared with the percentage of institutions reporting some industry input, fewer institutions offered programs for which industry was at least equally involved (as were educators) in skill competency development (Tables 11 and 13). Twenty-six percent reported equal industry involvement for all occupational programs offered, 34 percent for at least half the programs, and 47 percent for at least one program (Table 13).



• Two-year institutions were somewhat more likely than less-than-2-year institutions to report at least some industry input in skill competency development for at least one program offered (88 versus 78 percent, Table 11). However, this difference did not hold when equal industry input was considered (Table 13).

Credentialing: Skill Certificates and Industry-Related Credentials

The secondary school survey asked whether occupational programs for each occupation prepared students to earn skill certificates. Because credentialing procedures are different at the postsecondary level, postsecondary institutions were asked whether occupational programs prepared students to earn various credentials, including institutional-based credentials (e.g., associate's degrees) and industry related credentials (e.g., company certificates, industry/trade certificates or diplomas and state registrations, licenses or certificates). Because of the focus of this report, only industry-related credentials are examined here. ¹¹

Of the secondary schools that offered one or more occupational programs, about half reported that at least one of their programs prepared students to earn skill certificates.

• About one-third (31 percent) of secondary schools reported that all their occupational programs prepared students to earn skill certificates, 43 percent provided this type of student credentialing for at least half of the programs offered, and 55 percent did so for at least one program (Table 15).



• Vocational schools were more likely than comprehensive schools to offer programs that prepared students to earn skill certificates. For example, 52 percent of vocational schools compared with 27 percent of comprehensive schools reported that all of their programs prepared students to earn skill certificates (Table 15).

Similar differences were observed when programs for each occupation area were examined (Table 16). Most of the 2-year and less-than-2-year postsecondary institutions offering one or more occupational programs reported that students in at least one program could work toward industry-related credentials.

• About half (53 percent) of the institutions reported that students in all the programs offered could work toward industry-related credentials. In addition, 76 percent indicated that at least half of their programs prepared students for industry-related credentials, and 87 percent had at least one program that prepared students for those credentials (Table 17).



• Overall, 2-year institutions did not differ significantly from less-than-2-year institutions in offering at least one program in which students could work toward industry-related credentials (Table 17). However, for each occupation area (with the exception of service occupations), 2-year institutions were less likely than less-than-2-year institutions to report that students could work toward industry-related credentials for at least one program (Table 18).

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⁶ One possible reason for this finding is that the definition of vocational programs used in this survey excluded lower level vocational programs that typically do not prepare students for at least entry-level jobs within the occupations considered in the survey. For example, it excluded career exploration and other introductory courses that prepare students for adult life or work in general (e.g., industrial arts). Another explanation is that some of the schools might be sending their students to area vocational schools for technical education training.

⁷ The last three points on the industry-input scale were combined to measure at least some industry input (i.e., industry provided either some input, equal input as educators, or primary or exclusive input in the development of skill competencies). The last two points on the scale were combined to measure at least equal industry input (i.e., industry was either as involved as educators, or it held primary or exclusive responsibility for developing skill competencies). The highest level of industry input is measured as primary or exclusive industry input (i.e., industry took primary or exclusive responsibility for developing or adopting skill competency lists).

⁸ For example, the proportion of schools with programs for which industry had primary or exclusive input in skill competency development was less than 5 percent for the programs that prepared students for 23 of the 28 occupations considered in the study.

⁹ Because of the large standard errors surrounding some of the estimates of industry involvement in skill competency development for the various occupations, differences that may appear large may not be statistically significant.

¹⁰ For example, the proportion of institutions with programs for which industry had primary or exclusive input in skill competency development was less than 10 percent for the programs that prepared students for 25 of the 32 occupations considered in the study.

¹¹ Industry-related credentials include company certificates, industry/trade certificates or diplomas, and state registrations, licenses, or certificates.

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