If you ask almost any high school student in Cleveland what success looks like, you’ll likely hear the same answer: “Go to college.” This message, rooted in decades of policy and tradition, continues to define the culture in school districts like the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD).
One of CMSD’s most prominent marketing efforts has been the “Say Yes to Education” scholarship, which provides college tuition support to students who attend a CMSD high school for four years. While well-intentioned, this emphasis on college as the main path forward is too narrow, both as a marketing strategy and as a tool for future planning.
Not every student wants to go to college. Some need to start earning immediately. Others are drawn to trades, entrepreneurship, or hands-on careers that offer greater financial independence without a debt burden. By focusing almost exclusively on college, CMSD overlooks these students and misses a key opportunity to attract other students from charter or private schools and those from outside the city who are eligible to enroll.
If CMSD wants to grow and serve its students more effectively, it must stop viewing college as the sole success story. In today’s economy, that narrative is outdated and incomplete. We need to pose a more challenging and urgent question:
How can CMSD, its students, and the communities of Cleveland financially benefit from expanded career and technical education (CTE) that includes Artificial Intelligence (AI) programs?
CTE Meets AI: Preparing Students for the Future Workforce
Career and Technical Education (CTE) is no longer limited to traditional trades. It’s evolving to meet the demands of a workforce that is increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence. Across various industries, AI is incorporated into everything from smart home electrical systems to automated manufacturing lines and diagnostic tools in automotive and healthcare settings.
Even traditional CTE fields like electrical, plumbing, and mechanics increasingly incorporate AI into their industries. For high school students in CTE programs, learning to work alongside AI-powered tools gives them a competitive edge. They graduate with hands-on, practical skills and the technological literacy necessary to succeed in next-generation workplaces.
This combination of real-world experience and AI integration creates a strong pathway to higher-paying jobs, future-proof careers, and a more inclusive entry point into the tech economy, particularly for students who might not envision themselves in a traditional college environment.
The College-Only Mindset Isn’t Working
We’ve told students for decades that college is the best bet for a strong financial future. But is that still true? The financial returns for graduates with a four-year degree are no longer the optimal path for financial success and prosperity. Nationally, graduates may earn around $55,000 a year after college, but given the current job market, many will earn less.
Students with a job in CTE after high school will have a 4-year head start on earning a salary that is, in many cases, higher than that of college graduates. CTE students are also likely to earn even greater wages over their careers, contributing to personal financial stability and wealth more effectively than a college degree.
The outlook is even more challenging for students who do not attend college and obtain a degree or receive technical training. The average income for a high school graduate without further education or specialized skills remains below $30,000 annually. That is not enough to build a stable life; it is sufficient to get by.
This is not a personal failure of the students but a systemic failure in how we define and prepare them for success.
CTE Delivers What College Often Promises
The most overlooked and undervalued pathway for students, especially those in underprivileged communities, is career and technical education (CTE). Students in CMSD who complete a CTE program in electrical, HVAC, or welding can enter the workforce within months of graduation. They can earn between $60,000 and $80,000 a year in their early twenties, especially when they join a union-sponsored apprenticeship. In many cases, skilled tradespeople in the region have salaries that exceed six figures, complete with full benefits and no student debt.
The wage gap between a high school graduate earning $28,000 and a union-trained electrician making $100,000 is more than just economic. It is transformational. It signifies independence. It signifies security. It opens up the possibility of owning a home, starting a family, or staying put and reinvesting in your community.
This isn’t about lowering expectations. It’s about raising the standard for economic dignity, without the burden of debt and disillusionment.
The AI Shift Is Already Reshaping the Job Market
At the same time, another shift is accelerating beneath the surface. Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the labor market. Many middle-class, white-collar positions that were once considered stable are being automated, outsourced, or fundamentally altered. Customer service, financial analysis, content writing, and administrative jobs are already being compressed or eliminated.
But the skilled trades? They are not just surviving the shift—they are evolving alongside it.
AI creates new demands in advanced manufacturing, data-driven construction, smart homes, and logistics. Electricians who understand “smart” systems, HVAC technicians who work with automated diagnostics, and auto techs who can interface with sensor-based vehicles are increasingly sought after. These are not jobs of the past; they are hybrid careers that combine technical skills with modern intelligence.
This is where CTE programs must evolve. CMSD cannot treat AI as a stand-alone subject or a trendy add-on; it must be integrated into every relevant trade curriculum. Students who graduate with both hands-on expertise and a functional understanding of AI will not only compete in the workforce; they will lead it.
Where CMSD Needs To Advance
CMSD has made significant investments in career and technical education through schools like Max S. Hayes and Jane Addams, and programs like PACE are starting to introduce more students to real-world career planning. However, these efforts remain siloed and underutilized.
Too often, college-prep pathways are still viewed as the gold standard, while CTE is considered a fallback. This mindset must change to close income gaps and retain talent in Cleveland.
The district needs to do more than support CTE; it must champion it and market its advantages and opportunities heavily. This means fully integrating AI into technical programs, deepening partnerships with unions and industry leaders, and expanding access to high-quality, hands-on career training across all schools, not just a few specialized campuses. It also involves reeducating families and counselors about what CTE truly offers—not just jobs, but careers. Not just income, but impact.
The Missed Opportunity in Leadership
At a time when CMSD is facing significant budget shortfalls and is forced to make painful cuts across the system, the need for strategic, forward-looking leadership has never been greater. Yet, instead of using this moment to rethink how the district serves students and communities, current leadership appears locked in yesterday’s vision of education. There is little effort—if any—to explore bold, transformational ideas, such as scaling CTE and embedding AI across the curriculum.
The problem is not just a lack of funding. It is a lack of foresight.
CMSD’s leadership has not shown the curiosity, insight, or urgency needed to adapt to the evolving demands of its students or the economy they are about to enter. This failure is not abstract; it has real consequences for real families, many of whom are seeking better options and finding them elsewhere.
If CMSD embraced a bold expansion of modern CTE and AI-integrated programming, it would not only prepare students for higher-earning careers but could also stem enrollment loss. These are precisely the kinds of programs that attract families and rebuild trust within communities. They are not just educational reforms; they are strategic investments in student futures and the city’s long-term economic health.
Cleveland cannot wait for this thinking to gain traction. It needs leaders who are prepared to act on it now.
The New Definition of Success
College will always be the right choice for some students. However, it should not be the default, nor should it be the sole definition of success.
We owe it to the next generation to provide them with options that align with the real economy, not merely with tradition. In Cleveland, this entails investing in the pathways that offer the highest return: skilled trades, AI-enhanced careers, and real-world education that empowers students to create futures they can own.
If we want to rebuild our communities, we should redefine our concept of opportunity. This begins with recognizing that sometimes, the most logical path forward isn’t the one we’ve always taken, but the one that’s finally ready to emerge.