To bring more awareness to the impact Career and Technical Education has on student’s success, Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) is supporting an effort to make February 2022 Career and Technical Education Month. Career and Technical Education, or CTE, are programs designed to prepare students for careers in major industries, such as finance, health care, information technology, advanced manufacturing and education. Coursework includes both academic and technical materials, allowing many students to use their knowledge from the programs to earn industry-recognized credentials or college credits. This makes careers in these fields much more accessible for many students who may struggle to complete coursework in traditional academic programs. Many students have found massive success with the innovative program. Across the state, around 30,000 students earned college credit from their CTE courses, saving them time and money when earning their degrees. In addition, 97 percent of students who complete CTE programs in Illinois graduate from high school, compared to only 88 percent from traditional high schools. This year, almost 415,000 Illinoisans are enrolled in CTE programs.  Senate Resolution 698 passed the Senate Education Committee.