This Stats in Brief looks at trends in vocational coursetaking among high-school students, examining these trends in light of labor market changes. The report notes that the declines in concentrated vocational coursetaking from 1982 to 1998 were due primarily to declines in the "trade and industry" and "business" program areas. These vocational areas roughly correspond to occupations that have experienced below-average growth rates since the early 1980s. In addition, the four vocational program areas in which a larger proportion of students concentrated their coursetaking in 1998 than in 1982 prepare students for occupations that experienced above-average growth rates. These findings suggest that changes in vocational coursetaking may at least in part reflect responses to labor market trends.
Online Availability
