Factors Influencing Dual Enrolled Students to Pursue Postsecondary Career and Technical Education

Employers struggle to find employees for middle skills jobs in computer technology, nursing, advanced manufacturing and other fields requiring postsecondary technical education. The number of students pursuing postsecondary education does not meet the needs of employers. This study examined the influence of economic, social/cultural, institutional, dual credit participation, and academic variables upon students’ intentions to enroll in program options at a technical college. The study was conducted with the dual enrolled or former dual enrolled students at a small rural technical college in East Tennessee with a sample size of 75. Linear regression was used to determine the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. With the exception of the academic variable, the researcher determined that the other variables significantly predicted students’ intentions of enrolling in program options at a technical college