Enrollment in trade and vocational schools is on the rise. A report from higher education marketing and research firm Validated Insights stated that since the pandemic, enrollment in trade schools has increased 4.9 percent from 2020 to 2023.
As enrollment in vocational schools is increasing, college enrollment is decreasing. There are three million fewer undergraduate students on college campuses compared to 2011, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The Diocese of Arlington may be hopping on the growing trend, with an emphasis on the “Dignity of the Worker,” one of the seven principles of Catholic social teaching.
Diocesan officials are evaluating the market for a Catholic Career and Technical Education program and what it would look like. The initiative stems from the Catholic education pillar of the Diocesan Strategic Plan.
Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Schools Joseph Vorbach III and Chief Operations Officer Ward Jones are spearheading the vetting. They began hearing from diocesan parishioners and priests about the benefits of developing a CTE program.
“When we polled that idea with priests or with lay people, it was unanimous,” Jones said. They now look to answer, “How do we flesh out this idea?”
Jones and Vorbach traveled to Philadelphia to see a Catholic vocational school there in person. They also hired Meitler, a consulting company that assists with demographic work and research for Catholic education. They launched two surveys May 22 to generate more data: one for the general diocesan population, another for high school students. The survey is open through June 8.
Vorbach emphasized that the program would be not only for diocesan families currently enrolled in diocesan Catholic schools.
“We believe there are families in the religious ed programs and the public school programs, parishioner families — and we want to hear from everybody about this,” he said.
One pastor of a large, multicultural parish thinks it’s an idea whose time has come. Father Álvaro Montero, pastor of Our Lady of Angels Church in Woodbridge, said that a vocational program would provide an alternative path for Catholics who feel called to an occupation outside of higher education.
“The name itself, ‘vocational school’ — it’s a good reminder that when we search for a meaningful way to work in society, it should always be that approach, with that angle. It’s a vocation, too,” he said.
Take the survey
For the parent survey, go to bit.ly/4jd49wg.
For the student survey, go to bit.ly/45gYS3c.
To express additional inquiries, email [email protected].
This article has been updated 6/5/25.
