Will AI replace Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School?

Some of your tasks will be automated. People who use AI will have the edge.

Task exposure to today's AI

35/100

Moderate exposure

This is the occupation's typical task mix. Your own score can be up to 30 points higher or lower depending on how you work: routine share, people contact, judgment and how much you already use AI.

Get your personal score

Will AI replace Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School?

Not entirely. Today's AI tools can take on about 35% of the typical work in this occupation, mostly: assign and grade class work and homework. The parts that stay human include: Instruct students individually and in groups, using various teaching methods, such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.; Instruct students in the knowledge and skills required in a specific occupation or occupational field, using a systematic plan of lectures, discussions, audio-visual presentations, and laboratory, shop, and field studies.; Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injury and damage..

People who learn to use AI for the automatable parts keep the edge. The 3-phase plan below shows where to start.

Which tasks AI can take on

The largest tasks in this occupation, their share of the working week, and how much of each today's AI tools can do.

TaskAutomatable

Assign and grade class work and homework. 60%

Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.AI already used 55%

Instruct students individually and in groups, using various teaching methods, such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations. 35%

Instruct students in the knowledge and skills required in a specific occupation or occupational field, using a systematic plan of lectures, discussions, audio-visual presentations, and laboratory, shop, and field studies. 35%

Prepare materials and classroom for class activities. 25%

Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.AI already used 20%

+ 27 more tasks (51% of the week) in the full test.

Your human edge

Instruct students individually and in groups, using various teaching methods, such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.
Instruct students in the knowledge and skills required in a specific occupation or occupational field, using a systematic plan of lectures, discussions, audio-visual presentations, and laboratory, shop, and field studies.
Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injury and damage.

AI tools to try

ChatGPT / Claude for lesson materialsAI quiz and feedback toolsPresentation and image generators

Related roles

A 3-phase AI learning plan

Phase 1

Materials and preparation

Lesson plans, tasks and differentiated materials with AI.
Quizzes and answer keys.
Check facts and age-appropriateness yourself.

Project

Use AI to build a full two-week shop unit — lesson plans, safety demo scripts, three reading levels of handouts, and a 20-question quiz with key — and log hours saved versus your last unit.

Phase 2

Feedback and assessment

Rubrics and feedback drafts with AI.
Spotting common mistakes across student work.
Rules for student AI use and academic honesty.

Project

Draft an AI-assisted skills rubric for one hands-on performance task, grade 25 de-identified work samples with it, and list the 5 most common errors to reteach next week.

Phase 3

Teaching with AI

Teach students to use AI critically.
Assignments that work with AI, not against it.
Share materials and practice with colleagues.

Project

Run a lesson where students use AI to plan a trade job (estimate, spec sheet or wiring plan), then critique its errors against code or manufacturer specs, and share the lesson with 3 colleagues.

Take the free 11-question test