Career and technical education programs nationally face a growing instructor shortfall that jeopardizes the pipeline of skilled workers. Shortages stem from a small pool of qualified candidates, uneven recognition of industry credentials for faculty qualifications, and the perception of CTE as subordinate to traditional academic careers. Education officials call for clearer credential pathways, incentives for industry professionals to teach and policy fixes to align minimum qualifications with real‑world experience to sustain high‑demand CTE programs.