ROBIN UTZ, BRANCH CHIEF, OFFICE OF CAREER, TECHNICAL AND ADULT EDUCATION -- U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Q. Please tell us about your role at the U.S. Department of Education.

I serve as the chief for the College and Career Transitions branch in the Division of Academic and Technical Education (DATE) for Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) at the U.S. Department of Education.

The branch administers national discretionary programs and initiatives that support program development and innovation in Career and Technical Education (CTE). These programs and initiatives are geared toward increasing student achievement, closing the achievement gap and preparing all students for transitions to college and careers. In my role at the U.S. Department of Education, I often have the opportunity to serve as our office’s point of contact for external stakeholder groups and I lead a team that implements CTE national activities projects.

Q. How does your work align with that of the U.S. Army’s education outreach efforts?

Not unlike the needs of our military, the demands of the workforce continue to change rapidly. In our global economy, the need to strengthen the competitiveness of the American workforce is one of the most urgent challenges we face as a nation. As employers seek to hire highly skilled workers, it is our mission to equip students with the education and training to succeed in our current and future workforce.

Career and technical education, often referred to as CTE, is one of the best ways to provide students with hands-on learning experiences that strengthen these 21st century skills and ready them for the jobs of the future. For the majority of our students entering today’s workforce (civilian and military), technical education is no longer a nice to have, but a prerequisite for success.

Q. What U.S. Army educational resources have you or your stakeholders used?

I immediately think of the power of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). This standardized career awareness and development assessment is used across the country whether or not you, as a student, decide military service is a match for you.

The ASVAB tests recruits in 10 subject areas: general science, arithmetic reasoning, word knowledge, paragraph comprehension, mathematics, electronics, auto shop information practices, mechanical comprehension, assembling objects and verbal expression. Performance on the assessment helps the person determine which Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) he or she would be best suited to perform.

I also believe there is a vast amount of information on goarmy.com that showcases careers that students and their parents may not have considered or do not realize exists.

Q. Why do you feel military service should be considered a viable post-secondary option?

Career and technical education (CTE) is a strategy for providing young people with the academic, technical, and employable skills and knowledge to pursue post-secondary training, higher education or enter a career field. CTE prepares students for ongoing learning, which is similar to military service.

A common misconception about the Army is that Soldiers are trained only for combat situations, and are ill-prepared for jobs in the civilian world. While it’s true that the Army prepares each and every soldier with the tools and abilities to defend the country in times of need, it also prepares them for much more. 
In fact, the U.S. Army is one of the most diverse career training institutions in the United States, with support for thousands of jobs in more than 150 career fields.

A Soldier could train to become a family doctor, a dentist, a nurse, a veterinarian, or a surgeon among other medical specialties. A Soldier could find a career in law, computer programming, logistics, public affairs, aviation, or financial management—and all through military service.

Q. What about the U.S. Army has surprised you through your involvement?

One concerning surprise for me was that less than 25 percent of our nation’s 18- to 20-year-olds are even qualified to serve in our military. This is reportedly due to lack of a high school credential, or discipline records and/or physical health conditions.

Q. Why do you feel it is important to support the Army as a leader in the education field?

For too many years, high school graduates throughout the United States faced a fork in the road. One path led to a four-year college, the other to an entry-level job.

Some students chose for themselves, while others were tracked based on aptitude and, all too often, on race and income. In today’s 21st century global economy, the choices are much more complex and interconnected, and the fork in the road has been replaced by numerous paths, all of which require a purposeful and meaningful learning experience that prepares all students—not just some—for a viable career.

We need to work together to help students and their parents understand the value of the numerous paths towards a civilian and/or military career.