; and (2) to address the educational challenges created by emerging industries and technological advancements; Whereas participation in a career and technical education (referred to in this preamble as CTE ) program decreases the risk of students dropping out of high school, and all 50 States and the District of Columbia report higher graduation rates for CTE students, as compared to other students; Whereas community and technical colleges operate as open access institutions serving millions of students annually at a comparatively low cost; Whereas the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 ( 20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) supports the development and implementation of high-quality CTE programs that— (1) combine rigorous academic content with occupational skills; and (2) served 11,900,000 high school and college students from 2015 to 2016; Whereas there are nearly 500,000 registered apprentices in the United States, and there is growing and bipartisan support for expanding earn-and-learn strategies to help current and future workers gain skills and work experience; Whereas federally supported workforce system and partner programs— (1) have helped the United States rebuild the economy and provide increased economic opportunities; and (2) provide a pathway into jobs that support families while ensuring that United States businesses find the skilled workforce needed to compete in the global economy; and Whereas workforce development is crucial to sustaining economic security for United States workers: Now, therefore, be it