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Implementing the Modernized Career Clusters Framework: Lessons in Change Management

November 21st, 2024

At the 2024 Fall Meeting in sunny Phoenix, AZ, Advance CTE unveiled the long-anticipated modernized National Career Clusters Framework® (the Framework), which provides structural alignment and a common language to bridge education and work, empowering each learner to explore, decide, and prepare for dynamic and evolving careers. 

In anticipation of the multi-year implementation process for Career Technical Education (CTE) leaders and state teams, we invited Thomas DeWire, Founder and Principal Consultant of EdScale, LLC, to discuss change management and effective implementation. For over two decades, Thomas has worked with states, districts, schools, and education-focused organizations to get better results through a relentless focus on effective implementation. 

Prioritize Your Goals

During the Managing Change plenary session, Thomas shared promising implementation practices from his book How to Implement (just about) Anything, which provides succinct steps for proactive planning and controlled execution. Beginning with his first lesson, Thomas advised participants to consider the scope of their implementation plans.

Thomas states, “I have experienced the dense state/district/school improvement plans. The kitchen sink approach to school improvement. That doesn’t work. Instead, what are a couple of things that are changing that we will implement systematically?”

Key considerations:

  • Select three to seven priorities for implementation planning 
  • Avoid “fat plans” that tend to scope creep and dilute the focus or result in partially achieved goals
  • Ground your priorities in reality 

Build Strong Guiding Coalitions and Teams

Thomas emphasized the importance of making these prioritization decisions with their guiding coalition and implementation team—the team members and advocates who will move this work forward—in mind. 

“The guiding coalition will advocate, support, guide, and give you valuable feedback…Then, you need an implementation team. Who are the people doing the work?” Thomas asks. 

He provides a grid to gauge external partners’ ability to influence outcomes and identify who should be at the table for initial strategy planning through the execution (Figure 1). 

Figure 1. Prioritize external partners by mapping their ability to influence outcomes and current interests

Start Early and Create Capacity

After establishing who the folks in the guiding coalition and implementation team are, Thomas advised to start routines early and create capacity to avoid building the plane while it’s flying. This looks like building feedback loops to drive improvement and proof points to highlight quick wins. 

“We get feedback, correct it, and then celebrate! We spend more time on the things that are broken than the things that are working. If we flip that, we’d see outsized and incredible results.” 

Stay Consistent and Plan for Solutions

Small and consistent victories compound over time. Thomas shared a model (Figure 2) of how teams can envision an aligned, coherent, lightweight, and effective implementation infrastructure to achieve project priorities.  

Figure 2. Effective implementation infrastructure

 

 

With a now full toolkit to implement the Framework, Thomas cautioned us about obstacles our teams may encounter when putting plans in motion. These include complacency, weak leadership coalitions, insufficient communication, and failure to create short-term wins. However, incorporating the learnings from the session has equipped leaders to stay focused on prioritized goals, build strong guiding coalitions, create feedback loops for continuous improvement, and celebrate small victories to maintain momentum and drive successful implementation.

Thomas ends with the following: 

“You’re the only people in your state who can create alignment and coherence around the Modernized Career Clusters. Creating a short-term lens and thinking about what might be possible builds momentum, bringing other people along with you. It’s not that we don’t know how; it’s not that we don’t have the talent to do it; it’s that it’s really hard to scale it… The goal, the challenge, is to actively facilitate change–to create clarity, alignment, and coherence to get better results for students.” 

Advance CTE will continue to have opportunities for states to engage in Career Clusters Framework Adoption & Implementation. Our Resources webpage will continue to be updated with materials for implementation at state and local levels, crosswalks, and communication tools to help leaders at every level assess, adopt, and implement the Framework at their pace and capacity.

Please reach out through our Contact Us form or via email at [email protected]

Marie Falcone, policy associate

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Unveiling of the Modernized Career Clusters Framework: Community Perspectives on the Possibilities

November 19th, 2024

Last month, Advance CTE unveiled the newly modernized Career Clusters Framework at its 2024 Fall Meeting held in Phoenix, AZ, after two years of development and validation. This post is a recap of the unveiling of the new Framework and the reaction panel that followed during the Fall Meeting plenary session, a look at the path ahead, and resources to support awareness and implementation. 

Introducing the Framework

Advance CTE’s 2024 Fall Meeting kicked off with the unveiling of the modernized National Career Clusters Framework, the primary organizing tool central building block to achieving consistently designed and high-quality Career Technical Education (CTE) programs and used in some form in the majority of states and territories across the United States. 

Watch Introducing the Modernized National Career Clusters® Framework:

The original Career Clusters Framework, released in 2002, was designed to provide a more consistent design of CTE programs and more organized, sequenced paths to a career choice. The newly modernized Framework addresses concerns from the CTE community that the original Framework no longer represented the full world of work or the interdisciplinary careers and skills needed in the modern workforce. The modernized Framework is different but familiar, serving as a tool to bridge gaps between education and the workforce by setting a new standard for career exploration and preparation amid an evolving landscape. The modernized Framework has a next-level purpose: inclusive of all living-wage careers and areas of work, learner-centric to support exploration that leads to agency for learners deciding what career to embark on and learn skills for, and industry-responsive by using labor market information and industry language that can continue to be refreshed into the future of work. 

The modernized Career Clusters Framework wheel graphic (pictured right) visually represents the 14 Clusters and 72 Sub-Clusters that represent the world of work reorganized in the modernized framework. Three Cluster positions on the gray outer ring are identified as Cross-Cutting Clusters and can be standalone Clusters or be combined with other Clusters.

The Modernized National Career Clusters Framework Guidebook

The development of the Framework utilized input from over 4,000 members of the CTE community. Several of those perspectives were represented on a reaction panel following the introduction of the Framework by Advance CTE President Thalea Longhurst and Advance CTE. The following are reflections on the modernized Framework from education, career development, and industry representatives. 

This is a picture from the 2024 Advance CTE Fall Meeting Plenary panel about the Modernized Career Clusters Framework. It features, from left to right, Dr. Katie Graham (NE State CTE Director), Eva Mitchell (CEO, Coalition for Career Development), Trey Michael (NC State CTE Director), and Melissa Rekeweg (Managing Director, National Council for Agricultural Education; Associate Director, National FFA).

Pictured (left to right): Dr. Katie Graham (NE State CTE Director), Eva Mitchell (CEO, Coalition for Career Development), Trey Michael (NC State CTE Director), and Melissa Rekeweg (Managing Director, National Council for Agricultural Education; Associate Director, National FFA).

Emerging Themes in Initial Reactions

Eva Mitchell, CEO of the Coalition for Career Development Center, highlighted a consistent theme about how the design of the new Framework encourages New Mindsets for Connecting Conversations and Systems. She attested to the Framework’s value in drawing connections for learners and educators to the societal workforce, activating relevant, career-driven decisions and relevant instruction: “On a practical level, this Framework is like the missing piece of a puzzle that unites educators that support the building of career-ready skills that are technical and non-technical. I kind of see this as a Rosetta Stone document that can unite the conversations and practices between CTE educators, nontechnical skills, industry, and city spaces.” 

Eva reflected on her work with career advisors, noting the difficult job of connecting high schoolers close to graduation to career pathways to long-term careers compared the Framework’s potential to support early-grade career advising: “This will really help the career advising and development work to potentially drill down in more places even down to the kindergarten level. Sometimes, educators only understand the pathways they’ve been exposed to, which aren’t in this range of 72 different modern career fields. It’ll give [learners] a big enough picture to understand how expansive  the world [of work] is.”

Speakers also elevated the use of Cross-Cutting Clusters, purpose-driven Cluster Groupings, and flexible design of the Framework as a Reimagining of CTE Design and Delivery, empowering learners to take control of their learning and future careers. It also encourages state and local practitioners to imagine more interdisciplinary CTE programs across multiple Career Clusters. Melissa Rekeweg, the Managing Director of the National Council for Agricultural Education and Associate Director with the National FFA, remarked on the new learning opportunity: “[The new Framework] speaks to what students can do and their choices. This Cluster model is really allowing students to focus on what they want to do, allowing us the power to make that happen, and that flexibility is not just for the student but also for us to continue to mold it five, ten, fifteen years from now.”

The flexibility of the new Framework opens new doors for learners, CTE instructors, and educators. Trey Michael, North Carolina’s State CTE Director, reflected on the needs in his state and how the new Framework will expand access as instructors can become credentialed in more than one Career Cluster. He shared, “I started out in business, so when I came into education, I saw a bunch of silos. In the business world, you learn holistically; it’s less of a sequence of one thing at a time and more of ‘here’s a problem, let’s solve that problem.’ We have great specialized teachers in CTE, but how do we get them out of the silo?”. 

As for Opportunities for Innovation, each panelist remarked on the modern nature of the Cross-Cutting Clusters and envisioned learners accessing skills that support continuous learning and career development after completing a program of study. As Trey put it, the opportunities for innovation and implementation could be tricky. Still, they will yield tremendous results if state leaders connect with local education and industry leaders to bring intention to implement the modernized Framework. He remarked, “I’m interested in the pain points, not just the large ones but the smaller ones that could be considered minor but have a longer timeline for thought and change.”

Looking Ahead

Advance CTE will continue to have opportunities for states to engage in Career Clusters Framework Adoption & Implementation. The new Framework becomes an important tool in the conversation to strengthen the education system at secondary and postsecondary institutions and the nation’s workforce and economy. This is no small task; we look forward to doing it together.

View the recording of Advance CTE’s October 30 webinar introducing the final modernized Framework.

Our Resources webpage will continue to be updated with materials for implementation at state and local levels, crosswalks, and communication tools to help leaders at every level assess, adopt, and implement the Framework at their pace and capacity. 

Please reach out through our contact us form or via email at [email protected]

Rob Young, Communications & Advocacy Associate 

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Strong Employer Partnerships That Are Shaping Tomorrow’s CTE

November 15th, 2024

Advance CTE recently held a panel on engaging employers at this year’s Fall Meeting, bringing together experts from education, industry, and workforce development to discuss how we can better align education and industry needs, create impactful partnerships, and prepare learners for the careers of tomorrow. The bottom line? Employers are essential partners in shaping Career Technical Education (CTE).

Building Bridges Between Education and Industry 

We need to bring education and industry closer than ever. As Kevin Imes, Arizona State CTE Director, emphasized, “Employers and educators need to be at the table together—at these conferences and beyond these walls.” The panelists highlighted the need for more proactive efforts to align curriculum with the actual skills and competencies that employers are looking for.

From a state perspective, Kevin Imes shared how Arizona is working to bridge this gap through its Education Economic Commission, which is renewing and reinventing career pathways to better align with industry needs. This effort includes facilitating more direct communication between industry and education to ensure that career pathways are not only relevant but also responsive to the dynamic labor market.

When Should Employer Engagement Start? 

According to our panelists, the earlier, the better —ideally during the Career Awareness and Career Exploration stages, well before learners enter the workforce.

Dr. Joy Rich, Manager of Workforce Development and Community Relationships at Nissan North America, shared how Nissan is taking proactive steps to engage learners through their Nissan Technician Training Academy (NTTA). Through this program, learners gain hands-on experience in automotive diagnosis and repair, preparing them for careers as factory-trained technicians at Nissan and Infiniti dealerships. These types of training programs provide learners with a clear pathway to well-paying, in-demand, and stable careers right out of high school, showing how early employer engagement can make a big difference.

Durable Skills Are Essential

A major theme from the session was the increasing importance of durable skills in today’s workforce. Employers like Patti Taylor, Director of Student Health Careers at Banner Health, discussed how competencies like critical thinking, problem-solving, and the ability to adapt to emerging technologies such as AI are becoming just as essential as technical skills. In fields like healthcare and IT, where new technology is constantly evolving, employers are looking for workers who can perform technical tasks and think critically and adjust to new challenges. This insight is invaluable for educators who are preparing learners for the realities of the workplace.

Real-World Skills, Real-World Partners 

A standout example of how employers can create strong partnerships with education institutions came from Nissan’s Center of Excellence, which is deeply involved with initiatives like SkillsUSA and Nissan University. These collaborations help learners gain industry-specific certifications and participate in apprenticeship programs, all while building strong relationships between education providers and employers. Dr. Rich emphasized that “being skills-based over degree-based removes those barriers to entry,” making it easier for students to find success in fields that align with their interests and abilities.

Employers also play a crucial role in identifying skill gaps in CTE spaces. As Patti Taylor pointed out, employers should take a hands-on approach to shaping curricula, working directly with educators to ensure that the learners’ skills match the job requirements they will face in the real world. For example, industry day visits to schools—where employers showcase lesser-known career opportunities in fields like IT and finance within healthcare—help learners better understand the breadth of career options available to them.

Navigating Liability and Legal Barriers in Work-Based Learning

Dr. Rich shared valuable advice on how employers and education leaders can work together to overcome the barrier of liability in work-based learning, suggesting that schools and employers bring labor law expertise into the conversation early on. According to a 2023 report from the National Apprenticeship Training Foundation, over 40% of employers cite concerns about liability as a barrier to offering internships or apprenticeships. Legal ambiguities related to worker classification and wage laws often contribute to this hesitation. Understanding the legalities of internships and apprenticeships ensures learners can gain valuable experience without risking exposure to unnecessary liability issues.

The Big Takeaway: Collaboration is Everything

The big takeaway for state CTE leaders and educators? Keep building strong, ongoing relationships between industry and education. As Dr. Rich said, “Be that aggregator, be that branch because industry partners want to work with you, but the barriers need to be removed.” When asked what one word they’d leave the audience with, all the panelists agreed—collaboration.

In workforce development, education and industry partnerships help to align curriculum with industry needs, provide opportunities for real-world experience, and focus on skills over degrees to ensure that learners are not only ready for the workforce but are equipped to thrive in it.

Vania Iscandari, senior policy associate

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Scalable Solutions for Today’s Manufacturing Frontline-Workforce Education | 2024 Fall Meeting Diamond Sponsor: MSSC

October 18th, 2024

Dear State Career Technical Education (CTE) Leaders and Partners,

The Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) is committed to shaping tomorrow’s manufacturing workforce by providing high-quality training solutions that empower state leaders to scale and replicate impactful programs statewide.

Manufacturing and supply chain logistics are the backbone of America’s economy, driving innovation, job creation, and economic growth across industries. To remain competitive in the global market, it is critical that we equip learners with the necessary skills to thrive in these high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand sectors.

MSSC’s industry-recognized certifications, particularly in Certified Production Technician (CPT), Certified Logistics Technician (CLT), and Certified Technician – Supply Chain Automation (CT-SCA) provide learners with the technical knowledge essential for advanced manufacturing and supply chain logistics roles. These certifications not only help your state meet the demand for a qualified workforce but also create pathways for learners to enter and advance in these vital industries, significantly enhancing their career mobility.

How MSSC Supports Statewide CTE Efforts

State CTE leaders can utilize MSSC’s comprehensive programs to:

  • Strengthen Workforce Readiness: MSSC training and certifications prepare learners for a range of advanced technical roles in both manufacturing and logistics, addressing critical skill gaps in sectors that power our nation’s economy.
  • Drive Innovation in Manufacturing and Logistics: By ensuring that learners are trained in cutting-edge practices and technologies, MSSC programs help your state stay ahead in fields like automation, robotics, AI, and supply chain management.
  • Enhance Equity in Career Pathways: MSSC programs are designed with accessibility and scalability in mind, ensuring that all learners, regardless of background, can participate in and benefit from high-quality CTE training.
  • Increase Career Mobility: By integrating MSSC certifications into your statewide CTE strategy, you can provide learners with clear pathways to advance their careers in manufacturing and supply chain logistics. These certifications serve as a stepping stone for further education and professional development, empowering learners to achieve their career goals and contribute to your state’s economic growth and sustainability.
  • Scalable Solutions for Statewide Impact: MSSC’s programs are designed for scalability, allowing states to implement them across various educational institutions and workforce development initiatives. By leveraging a common framework and standardized curricula, states can ensure consistent training quality and outcomes, making it easier to replicate successful models and expand access to high-quality CTE training for more learners.

What’s Next?

We invite you to learn more about how MSSC can support your state’s efforts to lead in CTE. Contact us to discuss how we can tailor solutions to meet your state’s unique needs.

Thank you for your continued dedication to advancing CTE for all learners.

Neil Reddy, CEO, Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC)
[email protected]

The views, opinions, services, and products shared in this post are solely for educational purposes and do not imply agreement or endorsement by Advance CTE, nor discrimination against similar brands, products, or services not mentioned.

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2024 Fall Meeting Diamond Sponsor: Certiport

October 18th, 2024

In a world where competition for jobs, pay increases, and academic success continues to increase, certifications offer hope because they are a credible, third-party assessment of a candidate’s skill and knowledge for a given subject. To empower learners with these credentials to succeed, school districts across Illinois partnered with Certiport, helping bring industry-recognized certifications to schools and learners in their communities. Discover how this impacted students and employers in their respective areas.

Why certification?

Illinois’ Career Technical Education (CTE) programs are focused on preparing learners for careers in high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand occupations. Certiport’s certification programs are preparing students for prosperous careers across the state, from rural areas such as Flora, to urban destinations like Chicago.

“In Chicago Public Schools, we are placing high emphasis on teaching in the classroom that have high quality post-secondary outcomes,” said Chandler Meyer-Brown, Director of Career and Technical Education for Chicago Public Schools. “We know that teaching and certifying students has a long-term impact on student success.”

To set learners up for success, districts across Illinois leverage several certifications from the Certiport portfolio, including:

By selecting a diverse portfolio of certifications, Illinois educators are preparing students to enter the workforce, with doors open to multiple industries. “For many years now we’ve known that students need a variety of credentials when they want to prepare for going into the workforce. Certainly, industry certifications have become an increasingly important building block for our students’ success,” said Anne Cothran, Director of Education for Employment System of the Moraine Area Career System.

How were Certiport’s certifications implemented?

Illinois schools and career centers customized the delivery of the certifications based on their learners’ needs, leveraging Certiport’s “full pathway” resources. This means that schools not only have certifications for their learners but also curriculum and practice tests to make sure all learners are prepared for testing. Each district, school, and educator can decide which resources work best for them and their learners.

Community High School District 218 decided on a pilot program, where educators first tested the curriculum and certifications before offering them to their learners. Each teacher then offered the certification to a handful of learners. “All nine students in the pilot program got certified,” said Frank Lamantia, Curriculum Director for CTE in Community High School District 218. “Seeing that 100% pass rate in the pilot was all the evidence we needed to move forward.”

Illinois educators and district representatives like Frank selected learning products and practice tests to prepare students for their actual certifications. “Certiport provides various resources, like CertPREP and other online teaching resources, that are so helpful for students. We want to make sure they understand what to expect on the certification exams,” said Mohammed Ikramullah, IT teacher at Mather High School.

What was the impact?

Integrating certification in Illinois schools has significantly impacted learners and communities. “Certifications allow my students to leave with something tangible that they can take into the workforce,” commented Robert Lee, a teacher in Chicago Public Schools. Learners across Illinois also shared the impact their certifications have had on their education and job opportunities.

Illinois schools are shaping futures and preparing learners with industry-recognized skills for success — using certifications to open doors and unlock possibilities that were previously unattainable.

Start empowering learners through Certiport certifications. Certiport offers an array of programs that can benefit IT, business, design, hospitality and culinary arts, health sciences, and agriscience educators. Get started today by visiting Certiport.com.

By Hannah Crepeau, Content Manager at Certiport, a Pearson VUE Business. Email questions to [email protected].

The views, opinions, services, and products shared in this post are solely for educational purposes and do not imply agreement or endorsement by Advance CTE, nor discrimination against similar brands, products, or services not mentioned.

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Partnership Powers Progress | 2024 Fall Meeting Diamond Sponsor: NCAE, CEWD

October 18th, 2024

The National Council for Agricultural Education (NCAE) and the Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD) have been working together to prepare for the new Energy and Natural Resources Career Cluster and the modernized Agriculture Career Cluster. Both clusters are part of the proposed Cultivating Resources Cluster Grouping that will be released this month.

Here’s what we have learned: 

In partnerships there is strength.

This lesson has remained constant in our collaboration. We have focused on the power of what will be created from two Clusters and how our industries can partner to benefit learners, educators, and each industry. We don’t look at the new Cluster structures as an either/or, but rather an opportunity for powerful integration of careers and workforce development NCAE and CEWD are exploring how they can collaborate beyond the clusters so that “one plus one equals the power of three” for two industries essential to our country. 

What’s old is old again, until it’s new.

NCAE has shared learnings from “energy and natural resources” sitting historically within the agricultural cluster, preparing CEWD to take the baton for the new stand-alone cluster. CEWD, in turn, is using those lessons to make adjacent recommendations for the new Cluster, creating a Framework that will be familiar to instructors and learners. Meanwhile, NCAE is focusing on supporting state and local leaders, as well as agriculture educators with essential resources. While both groups are allowing history (the old) to guide the future, this watershed moment will infuse fresh and modernized teachings (the new) into what will soon be two clusters. A national Framework for the new Energy and Natural Resources Cluster for high school classrooms is expected to be available by the end of 2024 or early in 2025. The Framework for post-secondary and K-8 classrooms will follow shortly thereafter.

Similarities are more significant than differences.

Differences between agriculture and energy are obvious on a broad level. The similarities between the two are less apparent, but notable in comparison.

  • Both industries focus on inputs to drive outputs, on the technology side of the house, but also on the importance of investments into people to drive innovation and progress.
  • A commitment to service drives professionals in both spaces – service to community, service to country, and service to their professions.
  • The public relies on professionals in both career paths but doesn’t really understand – or fully appreciate – the complexities and technical prowess required of those who do the work in these fields. The modernized framework will hopefully help change that, allowing classroom lessons to be both deeper and wider.
  • Both industries steward our natural resources to produce food, fiber, fuel, and energy. The land and its long-term productivity are central to both industries.
  • Agriculture and energy center on efficiency. In agriculture, growers and farmers strive to improve efficiency through technological innovations. The same is true in the energy sector.

NCAE and CEWD are proud of the lessons we are learning and the impact that will be felt as we collaboratively build skilled diverse talent pipelines for the future.

The views, opinions, services, and products shared in this post are solely for educational purposes and do not imply agreement or endorsement by Advance CTE, nor discrimination against similar brands, products, or services not mentioned.

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Aptitude-enabled learning: Unlocking potential for career and life success | 2024 Fall Meeting Diamond Sponsor: YouScience

October 17th, 2024

Learners today face immense pressure to find the right path for success after high school. In fact, 75% feel unprepared for life beyond graduation. Traditionally, learners relied on advice from parents and friends to shape their future plans. Aptitude-enabled learning offers a better solution, providing data-driven insights that help learners make more informed career decisions.

What is aptitude-enabled learning?

Aptitudes are inherent abilities that show how someone processes information and solves problems. Unlike interests, which change over time, aptitudes are stable and reveal long-term strengths. Aptitude-enabled learning uses assessments to measure cognitive skills such as numerical reasoning, spatial visualization, and problem-solving. These insights help learners discover career paths that align with their strengths.

Why aptitudes matter more than interests alone

Interests can change with experience, but aptitudes provide a constant guide. For example, a learner interested in art may have a natural aptitude for spatial reasoning, which could also lead to success in architecture or engineering. By combining aptitudes with interests, learners get a complete picture, ensuring they pursue careers that fit both their passions and skills.

The danger of fake aptitude tests

Many tests only identify interests, offering shallow results that don’t guide learners toward careers suited to their abilities. Real aptitude tests are backed by science, measuring cognitive skills through validated exercises. Look for tests that use performance-based measures, are scientifically validated, and are unbiased, ensuring fair treatment for all learners.

Benefits of aptitude-enabled learning in K-12 education

Aptitude-enabled learning offers significant benefits for students:

  1. Personalized learning paths: Assessments guide students toward careers that match their strengths.
  2. Increased engagement: Knowing how abilities connect to careers motivates students to invest in their education.
  3. Informed decision-making: Students make better choices about courses, extracurriculars, and post-graduation plans.
  4. Bridging the skills gap: Match learners with careers in high-demand fields, addressing industry talent shortages.

How CTE leaders can use YouScience® on a state level

Career Technical Education (CTE) leaders can implement YouScience at the state level to enhance career readiness. By leveraging YouScience’s aptitude assessment, states can provide students with personalized insights that align their education with future workforce needs. CTE leaders can use statewide programs to bridge the gap between education and industry, helping students discover careers they might not have considered and providing employers with skilled, aptitude-aligned talent. This approach supports long-term workforce development by connecting students’ strengths with in-demand careers in key industries.

The future of career readiness with aptitude-enabled learning

Aptitude-enabled learning helps learners make informed decisions about their futures, improving both engagement and readiness for careers. Tools like YouScience Aptitude & Career Discovery offer research-backed assessments that guide learners toward careers where they will excel. As more schools adopt aptitude-based approaches, learners are better equipped to navigate the future and achieve long-term success.

The views, opinions, services, and products shared in this post are solely for educational purposes and do not imply agreement or endorsement by Advance CTE, nor discrimination against similar brands, products, or services not mentioned.

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Three Top Reasons to Consider a CTE-Specific Data Management Solution | 2024 Fall Meeting Diamond Sponsor: iCEV

October 17th, 2024

Tracking and analyzing data are key to any successful Career Technical Education (CTE) program. CTE leaders use everything from pen and paper to full-scale data management systems to record this essential information. 

Yet even if you already have a system in place to track program performance, you should consider a solution designed specifically for CTE programs. 

Below, we’ll take a closer look at three types of data tracked by a CTE-specific data management solution.

1) Industry Certifications 

Industry certifications help prove the success of a CTE program. Certification earners prove they have industry-specific knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the workforce.  

CTE programs look to demonstrate success through certifications and align courses to a specific credential to certify as many learners as possible.  

It can be difficult to keep track of pass rates, demographics, and other crucial certification metrics. A CTE-specific solution tracks all this information so programs can make informed decisions about future certification goals. 

2) Career and Technical Student Organizations 

Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) offer learners opportunities to showcase skills, connect with peers, and pursue professional opportunities. Being part of a local chapter often leads to future success, but most data solutions don’t easily track these valuable experiences.  

With a CTE-specific solution, you can track CTSO involvement and see how it correlates with higher completer rates and enhanced student engagement. 

3) Work-Based Learning 

Traditional data management solutions rarely account for work-based learning (WBL) opportunities such as internships and field experiences. Because these opportunities are numerous and varied, it’s often difficult for programs to track WBL experiences.  

However, a comprehensive data management system will track each student’s WBL hours, skills, and experiences. Collecting this information shows the value of industry partnerships and can lead to increased funding. 

Discover CTE-Specific Data Management and Reporting  

Tracking and reporting essential data helps CTE leaders follow regulations, access valuable funding, and prove the success of their programs.  

Without a CTE-specific data management system, it can be difficult to demonstrate the full picture of what your program accomplishes. But with Eduthings, you get a custom solution to accurately track all your data, making reporting and analysis simple. 

Visit the iCEV booth during the Advance CTE Fall Conference to learn how Eduthings can be your CTE command center to shape tomorrow’s CTE. 

The views, opinions, services, and products shared in this post are solely for educational purposes and do not imply agreement or endorsement by Advance CTE, nor discrimination against similar brands, products, or services not mentioned.

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Driving Change to Build a Better Workforce | 2024 Fall Meeting Diamond Sponsor: SkillsUSA

October 16th, 2024

As the leading workforce development organization for learners, SkillsUSA is proud to be leading the way to help America’s future workforce. Approaching our 65th anniversary in 2030, we continue to focus on preparing learners for careers in trade, technical, and skilled service occupations. With the support of over 850 national partners, SkillsUSA is committed to addressing our nation’s workforce challenges with bold solutions and steadfast dedication. 

Five Tenets to Drive Access to CTE

The SkillsUSA Drive to 65 Campaign reflects our commitment to expanding programs that empower CTE learners and connect them to career paths, employers, and jobs. The five tenets of our new strategic plan are to:

  • Build an integrated digital ecosystem where learners control their career journey as they connect with chapters and partners.
  • Serve one million learners and teachers across all CTE levels, focusing on underrepresented communities.
  • Reimagine programming to engage more middle school, high school, and postsecondary learners in work-based learning.
  • Transform our national conference into a CTE hotspot where learners, teachers, and instructors connect with workforce development opportunities and training.
  • Increase fundraising to $25 million annually through partnerships and grants to support more programming and more learner success.

Bridging the Gap Between Education and Industry

Bridging the gap between education and industry is crucial as SkillsUSA is committed to aligning learners’ careers with their skills and job opportunities. We provide essential support for teachers and instructors, connecting them with industry for program support, employability training, and mentorship.

Workplace Learning for More Learners

Creating workplace learning experiences (WPLE) that encompass work-based learning (WBL) equips learners with essential skills. These experiences grow in complexity as learners advance, incorporating quality non-degree credentials aligned with the SkillsUSA Championships Technical Standards and our Championships competition program.

This year, SkillsUSA has launched new workplace learning experiences for middle school, high school, and postsecondary learners. Our resources are designed for easy classroom implementation, serving as gateways to industry experiences. Participation in WBL significantly increases personal income and career satisfaction, especially for disadvantaged youth. SkillsUSA is committed to advancing the needs of marginalized learners, providing positive relationships with adults, exposure to new environments, and opportunities to develop social capital.

Realizing Our Incredible Potential

Building a talent pipeline for America has always been our focus — and this focus has never been more vital. SkillsUSA aligns with Advance CTE’s vision where each learner engages in a cohesive, flexible, and responsive career preparation ecosystem. 

Join us in our national movement to boost learner outcomes. Together, we can lift up learners and build thriving communities. Align with us, get involved in our work-based learning initiatives, and join us at the local, state, or national levels to grow the talent pipeline. Connect with our team to receive updates on our progress on the SkillsUSA Drive to 65.

The views, opinions, services, and products shared in this post are solely for educational purposes and do not imply agreement or endorsement by Advance CTE, nor discrimination against similar brands, products, or services not mentioned.

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AGC Maine’s Pre-Apprenticeship: A Program of Success | 2024 Fall Meeting Platinum Sponsor: NCCER

October 11th, 2024

A New Beginning

In 2023, the Maine Construction Academy kicked off its Construction Immersion Program, a registered pre-apprenticeship program overseen and managed by the Associated General Contractors of Maine (AGC Maine). In two years, participation in the program has grown from 50 learners and young adults to more than 200 statewide. This includes 11 new locations and industry partners, expanding the program to support 15 cohorts. Its retention rate of 98%, with only one student of the first 50 left the program, reflects the values and commitment of the participants.

Program in the Making

AGC Maine focused on several key areas in developing its Construction Immersion Program — funding, program structure, and employer involvement. Kelly Flagg is the executive director of AGC Maine. As the new director in 2022, she discovered that the chapter had been awarded a $1.5 million state grant applied for by its previous executive director.

Kelly said, “It fell on my desk. You don’t always get to walk into that kind of money for a project.” The grant swiftly addressed funding issues, allowing the association to focus on program design and implementation to get the program off the ground.

As a pre-apprenticeship, the Construction Immersion Program was designed specifically to help participants, 16- to 20-year-olds, enter and succeed in a registered apprenticeship. The program consists of classroom instruction, ten days of hands-on experience with local companies, and other benefits, including a weekly stipend, tools, and outerwear for its participants.

Classroom Curriculum

Referencing the program’s classroom instruction components, Kelly speaks highly of AGC Maine’s partnership with the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). Local high schools shared their instructors, who received NCCER’s instructor training through AGC Maine. This collaboration ensured all instructors used the same materials — curriculum, presentations, and tests — in a standardized format.

NCCER’s curriculum meets the Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship requirements for time-based training. Therefore, if the same curriculum is used by Registered Apprenticeship Programs that partner with the Construction Immersion Program, participants can continue with their apprenticeship after the program. This approach reflects Principle 4 of Advance CTE’s CTE Without Limits vision by incorporating industry-recognized credentials like the NCCER Core, which help ensure learners’ skills are portable and valued across various programs and states.

Standardized Construction Training and Certification Model

The benefits of NCCER accreditation provide organizations a full workforce development solution – to deliver standardized training and assessment programs for industry-recognized, portable credentials. Accredited organizations must meet and maintain established standards and criteria to ensure integrity in program administration.

Flexible, Digital Instruction

Online training materials help provide learners with the flexibility needed to accommodate their busy schedules, whether they’re interested in exploring a new skill or pursuing full journey-level certification. Online materials also help instructors devote classroom time to hands-on instruction. NCCERconnect offers interactive, online training for many of the most popular curricula and learning materials for additional crafts are available digitally as eText.

Hands-On Learning

To be successful in the field, performance training and evaluation enables learners to master hands-on construction skills in real-world environments. NCCER’s performance testing helps ensure learners are productive, safe, and confident in using their skills after earning NCCER credentials.

Local Employers Connect

To ensure their efforts would develop a solid talent pipeline for local companies, AGC Maine designed the Construction Immersion Program with two important requirements for employers.    

The first requirement: employers must actively participate to have access to hiring the program’s graduates. “Each contractor has one day with the participants.” Kelly explained, “That’s six hours to present their craft, their company, and what the opportunity looks like. They either go to an active construction site for a meaningful hands-on experience, or the contractor comes to the school to provide one on-site.”

The second requirement: participating companies must have a Registered Apprenticeship Program. This ensures participants who sign on with a participating company may continue their education after program completion – it’s a win-win. Kelly added, “AGC can support those companies in becoming a Registered Apprenticeship Program if the concept is new to them.” Upon completion, the program guarantees participants at least three interviews with employers.

Providing Career Paths for Maine’s Youth

At the heart of the Construction Immersion Program is its impact on learners and young adults seeking hands-on career guidance. Throughout the four weeks, participants learn about a variety of crafts and disciplines including carpentry, electrical, welding, crane operation, highway construction, and heavy equipment mechanics. They also receive financial literacy training, resumé preparation, and guidance in developing interviewing skills.

By completing the program and earning an NCCER Core credential, graduates have the foundational skills needed to pursue a career in construction. “We knew that we wanted to use a curriculum that would have a portable credential.” Kelly said, “Our goal is to start someone on a career path.” Additionally, participants earn their OSHA 10 certification and first aid CPR certification.

Lifelong Success

Pre-apprenticeship programs like the Construction Immersion Program are a tangible way that high schools, local employers, and organizations like AGC can partner in transforming learners’ interests into opportunities for lifelong careers.

Enhanced Construction Training

Take your team to the next level using NCCER’s programs to prioritize training, improve safety, and develop future leaders.

Reach out to the NCCER Workforce Development Solutions team to discuss a tailored program that meets the state requirements, needs and goals.

William Bales, NCCER

The views, opinions, services, and products shared in this post are solely for educational purposes and do not imply agreement or endorsement by Advance CTE, nor discrimination against similar brands, products, or services not mentioned.

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