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Posts Tagged ‘industry-recognized credentials’

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

Wednesday, 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:

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.

By Layla Alagic in Meetings and Events
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Enhancing CTE Program Access and Credential Access in Arizona

Friday, September 27th, 2024

In this blog, Policy Associate Velie Sando highlights policies enacted by Arizona in 2024 that facilitate access to Career Technical Education (CTE) for adult learners and foster care youth, and that expand industry-recognized credentials for learners who complete apprenticeship programs.

Arizona’s CTE landscape saw multiple legislative developments in 2024, with several key policies enacted to enhance opportunities for learners and strengthen workforce development initiatives.

These policy changes align with Arizona’s broader goals for CTE, which include engaging learners in relevant experiences leading to purposeful and economically viable careers. The state’s commitment to CTE is evident in its extensive program offerings, ranging from Accounting and AgriScience to Welding Technologies. With 14 Career and Technical Education Districts formed throughout the state and 101 school districts participating, Arizona has created a robust infrastructure for delivering quality CTE programs.

One of the changes came with the passage of H.B. 2906, which expanded the capabilities of Career Technical Education Districts (CTEDs) across the state. This legislation empowered CTEDs to construct, maintain, and provide housing facilities for those in foster care or classified as unaccompanied youth. This move recognizes the barriers faced by such learners and aims to provide them with stable living environments conducive to their educational goals.

H.B. 2090 introduced a streamlined process for recognizing completed apprenticeship programs. Individuals who successfully finish a U.S. Department of Labor-approved or Arizona Department of Economic Security-approved apprenticeship program in construction trades can now file their certificates of completion directly. This change not only simplifies the documentation process but also ensures that apprentices’ achievements are properly recognized and recorded, potentially enhancing their employment prospects.

The year also saw modifications to the evaluation of adult education programs through S.B. 1113. This bill amended existing legislation on performance measures for adult education and workforce development programs. Notably, it prohibited the Arizona Department of Education from assigning letter grades to adult education and workforce development program schools established on or before July 1, 2024. This change reflects an innovative approach to assessing these programs, acknowledging their unique nature and the diverse needs of adult learners.

As Arizona continues to evolve its CTE landscape, these policies demonstrate a commitment to addressing the needs of diverse learner populations, streamlining professional recognition processes, and refining evaluation methods for adult education. These changes are likely to contribute to the state’s efforts in reaching its Achieve 60AZ goal of having 60% of Arizona adults hold a degree, high-demand workforce certification, or other high-value credential by 2030.

For more policies enacted in 2024, check out Advance CTE and ACTE’s Mid-Year in Review Webinar. 

Velie Sando, policy associate

By Layla Alagic in Public Policy
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Advance CTE 2024 Spring Meeting Sponsor Blog – Gold Sponsor Alliance for FCS | At the Forefront for Equipping Learners: Supporting CTE Performance Objectives Through Family and Consumer Sciences

Wednesday, April 10th, 2024

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.

Today states are working to address teacher shortages1, milling and baker shortages2, hospitality labor shortages3 and more. In the baking field alone, the industry is expected to have approximately 53,000 unfilled jobs by 2030. Since 2006, the Alliance for Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) has collaborated to provide career exploration resources, professional development opportunities, and industry-recognized credentials to equip Career Technical Education (CTE) learners to lead better lives, be work- and career-ready, and make meaningful contributions in their communities.   

State CTE Directors and their staff play an important role in helping to fill these shortages through the programs and pathways offered in their state. Family and Consumer Sciences programs ensure learners are prepared with the necessary academic, technical, and employability skills to be successful in any workplace and provide them with training in over eight content specialty areas, amplifying the effectiveness of FCS programs in putting learners into career paths directly from graduation. To review the range of specialties supported by Family and Consumer Sciences, visit the Alliance website.

The Alliance for Family & Consumer Sciences is a coalition of organizations representing academia, business and industry, professional associations, and honor societies leading family and consumer sciences efforts around the globe. Today, AAFCS serves as the managing partner of the Alliance.

The Alliance for FCS members are ideal partners for states seeking to set up programs and connect with business and industry and content experts to grow Family and Consumer Sciences education throughout the U.S. 

The Alliance for FCS provides research and resources in Family and Consumer Sciences content areas. One specific example is the resource page on Nutrition and Wellness which supports states seeking to prepare learners to enter industries suffering worker shortages such as culinary arts, milling and baking, food science and nutrition, and food-supporting industries. Lesson plans, safety tips, webinars, certification programs, and other programs offered by Alliance for FCS members are available to CTE directors and staff to enhance state educational programs, making them ideal sources of future employees for these industries. Visit the Alliance for FCS, Nutrition, and Wellness Resources today at https://www.aafcs.org/allianceforfcs/initiatives/nutrition-wellness 

To inquire about resources in the other Family and Consumer Sciences content areas or to join the Alliance, reach out to [email protected] for more information. 

About the Alliance for FCS

The mission of the Alliance for Family & Consumer Sciences is to unify diverse organizations with a common purpose by advancing the value of family and consumer sciences globally. These efforts will enhance the visibility and viability of family and consumer sciences to improve the quality of life for individuals, families, and communities in a diverse and global society.

By Layla Alagic in Advance CTE Spring Meeting
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Funding Career Technical Education: Making State-Level Investments to Support Unique Elements of CTE

Tuesday, February 27th, 2024

Advance CTE released the 2023 State of CTE: An Analysis of State Secondary CTE Funding Models to highlight how states and the District of Columbia provide high-quality Career Technical Education (CTE) through various secondary CTE funding models and approaches. This blog, the fourth in a series, describes ways states invest in CTE programs through line item appropriations to support unique elements of CTE. This blog unveils new information not available in the State of CTE Funding release.

Overview

States make significant contributions to CTE programs through non-categorical, line item appropriations. Programmatic funding is distributed through periodic, legislatively established authorizations that are contingent on the availability of funds. States often place conditions on how money should be spent or used to promote state priorities. Additionally, a programmatic line item appropriation can be a recurring or a one-time investment. This blog highlights appropriations in industry-recognized credentials, Career Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs), career advisement, and educator preparation for fiscal year (FY) 2022. You can read more about categorical funding in the first blog in this series, Funding Career Technical Education: Secondary CTE Funding Basics. 

These key state investments often pilot new programs, sustain existing programs, provide training to educators and professionals, or allow purchases for needed equipment and supplies. These investments certainly allow Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to scale and improve program quality, which aligns with Advance CTE’s vision for the future of CTE where continuous improvement is needed at all levels within systems.  

Investing in Unique Elements of CTE

State funding through non-categorical, line item appropriations is incredibly common; 80 percent of state leaders surveyed in summer 2022 reported some line items for CTE programs. 

Industry-recognized Credentials

Helping learners have access to and earn industry-recognized credentials can make them more competitive for future work and educational opportunities. States may offer reimbursements to the learner, educator, or local institutions for the completion of credentials. There are expenses associated with industry-recognized credentials such as exam fees, materials, books, or supplies. 

Thirteen state leaders reported appropriations for industry-recognized credentials in FY 2022. 

CTSOs

CTSOs allow learners to gain academic, workplace, and technical skills, build networks, and pursue leadership experiences that are needed to succeed in today’s global workforce. 

Twelve state leaders reported line item appropriations for CTSOs, with appropriations ranging from $125,000 to $2.52 million per year in FY 2022. Most states allocated the funds toward one or more of the 11 CTSOs specifically authorized in the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins V). 

Career Advisement

Offering comprehensive and connected career advisement systems helps all learners get the support and guidance to gain skills and explore future careers. 

Nine state leaders reported line item appropriations for career advisement in FY 2022. 

Other states have made one-time investments to help pilot programs and offerings. 

Other states focused on providing resources for professionals who help with career advisement and planning. 

CTE Educator Preparation

There remains room for improvement in CTE educator preparation as only Georgia, Minnesota, and Virginia reported line item appropriations for CTE educator preparation in FY 2022. 

You can learn more about identifying funding streams that support CTE educator diversity by reading Advance CTE’s State and Local Strategies for Diversifying the CTE Educator Workforce. 

Recommendations

Programmatic line item appropriations are additional sources of funding to leverage to support important components of career preparation ecosystems. State leaders should take the following action steps:

Additional Resources

Be sure to read the other blogs in this series: 

We also encourage you to watch the Exploring State Secondary CTE Funding webinar.  

Dr. Laura Maldonado, Senior Research Associate

Dr. Laura Maldonado is a Senior Research Associate with Advance CTE. In this role, Laura directly supports Advance CTE’s policy research and technical assistance initiatives, data quality initiatives and internal data strategy.

By Layla Alagic in Public Policy, Research
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Advance CTE 2023 Fall Meeting Sponsor Blog: Diamond Sponsor, Certiport – Earn College Credits with Industry Certifications

Wednesday, October 11th, 2023

When learners earn an industry certification, they’re not just earning a credential for their resume. They’re also potentially saving money on higher education. It’s no secret that pursuing higher education in the United States comes at a high cost to learners. According to EducationData.org, the average federal student loan debt is $36,510 per borrower, and students with private student loans have debt averaging $54,921 per borrower. Any chance learners can get to earn college credit while in high school is a great move. That’s where ACE CREDIT comes in.

Career Technical Education (CTE) programs across the country are embedding industry-recognized credentials in their programs of study as a measure of program quality and to ensure that learning is validated, recognized, and portable. Certiport offers exams for a number of commonly state-approved certifications. In addition to providing state and local leaders with valuable information about program quality, our exams provide the added learner benefit of conferring ACE credit.

What is ACE CREDIT?

Founded in 1918, the American Council on Education (ACE) is the major coordinating body for all the nation’s higher education institutions, representing more than 1,600 college and university presidents and more than 200 related associations nationwide. It provides leadership on key higher education issues and influences public policy through advocacy.

ACE CREDIT connects workplace learning with colleges and universities by helping adults gain access to academic credit at colleges and universities for formal courses and examinations taken in the workplace or other settings outside traditional higher education. For more than 40 years, colleges and universities have trusted ACE CREDIT to provide reliable course equivalency information to facilitate their decisions to award academic credit. And now, learners who pass select Certiport exams can earn this valuable credit as well.

Which Certiport Exams Qualify for ACE CREDIT?

The American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE Learning Evaluations®) has evaluated and recommended college credit for multiple Certiport programs, including:

  1. Autodesk Certified User
  2. Adobe Certified Professional
  3. Communication Skills for Business
  4. Entrepreneurship and Small Business
  5. IC3 Digital Literacy
  6. Intuit
  7. IT Specialist
  8. Microsoft Certified Fundamentals
  9. Microsoft Office Specialist

You can find the full list here.

How Do Learners Obtain ACE College Credit?

Certiport’s partnership with ACE’s Transcript Service makes obtaining college credit simple.

First, learners should verify with their university/college admissions office that they grant credit for the specific certification.

Second, learners should send their transcript to their college or university via Credly’s Acclaim platform. Information on transcript services is available in the ACE Student Resource Center.

Interested in having your certified learners earn college credit? You can learn more here.

Hannah Davis, Certiport, a Pearson VUE business

By Layla Alagic in Advance CTE Fall Meeting
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Advance CTE 2023 Fall Meeting Sponsor Blog: Diamond Sponsor, CompTIA – The DNA of a Winning CTE Program

Monday, October 2nd, 2023

Tech organizations are in a constant race to find skilled and qualified workers who can keep up with ever-evolving demands. Skills and confidence gaps can throw a wrench in the works, making it tough for companies to meet their needs and for individuals to reach their full potential. That’s why addressing and tackling these gaps requires a well-thought-out plan that sets everyone up for success.

Angel Piñeiro, vice president of strategic academic relationships at CompTIA, shares a case study about how a technology company solved a skills and confidence gap problem by building a diverse future workforce pipeline with the largest school district in the country.

The Problem

In 2013, a large public school district, encompassing 1.1 million students and 1,800 schools, put out a contract to support their entire infrastructure. At the time, Piñeiro was the senior vice president of a national technology firm that won the multi-million-dollar contract. The problem was that they had two months to accomplish the following:

•         Hire 200-230 professionals, including technicians, engineers, dispatchers and more

•         Provide personnel with security clearances

•         Integrate the school district’s service desk into their firm’s service desk

“We managed to do it, but I will never, ever be put in that situation again,” Piñeiro said. To avoid running into the same problem in the future, Piñeiro needed a program in place that would create a pipeline of skilled and certified workforce.

The Solution

Faced with the challenge of rapidly recruiting skilled IT professionals, the initial solution was to work with local training providers, talent recruitment companies and college graduates. However, Piñeiro’s team realized that these approaches were not only expensive but also lacked the scalability needed to meet the demands of large-scale contracts. They also needed a solution that was efficient and repeatable – it needed to work for everybody.

Then, it clicked.

“There are schools in the cities. There are schools in the suburbs. There are schools in the rural areas. There are schools everywhere. So why not work with the schools?” Piñeiro said. After determining the key stakeholders they needed to work with, Piñeiro’s team came up with the DNA of a successful CTE program.

Innovation

The company adopted a visionary approach to address a significant hiring issue prevalent in the information technology sector. By collaborating closely with public schools, it ensured the program would be scalable, repeatable, and sustainable. The company recognized the program as a return on investment that directly influenced its bottom line. Today, the program tackles the well-known challenges in suburban and rural areas where resources might be scarce.

For more information, reach out to the CompTIA Workforce Solutions Team, Angel Piñeiro at [email protected]

By Layla Alagic in Advance CTE Fall Meeting
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Legislative Update: President Biden Releases Congressional Budget Request

Friday, March 10th, 2023

This week President Biden released a much anticipated annual Congressional budget request for federal fiscal year 2024 (FY24).  In addition, House Republicans have made changes to appropriations legislation rules that impact CTE funding. Advance CTE asks members to encourage their representatives in  Congress to support much needed reforms to federal Pell Grants. 

President Biden Unveils FY24 Budget Request 

Earlier today, President Biden released his long-anticipated federal fiscal year 2024 (FY24) budget request to Congress. The request proposes a $43 million increase for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act’s (Perkins V) basic state grant program– a proposed three percent increase over FY23 enacted levels. Advance CTE and the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) have been advocating for a $400 million increase for this program to close an inflationary gap in funding that has widened considerably since FY04. Advance CTE will continue to pursue this goal with partners on Capitol Hill as the wider FY24 process unfolds later this year.  

In addition, the Biden Administration has also renewed its request, first made last year, for $200 million in new funding for the creation of a new competitive grant program known as “Career Connected High Schools.” This initiative seeks to prioritize dual and concurrent enrollment, work-based learning, industry-recognized credentials and career counseling. Notably, Perkins V’s basic state grant program includes these priorities as eligible uses of funds and many states and local recipients currently use these resources to support these, and many more, opportunities for learners. Advance CTE has previously raised equity concerns regarding the Career Connected High Schools grant program–which the Administration estimated last year would only reach 32 programs in total–due to the limited scope and reach of a competitive grant program. Advance CTE and ACTE released a statement outlining these concerns following the formal publication of the budget. 

Encouragingly, the budget request proposes significant new mandatory and discretionary funding to make two years of community college tuition free, so long as students and institutions meet certain criteria. The request also proposes a $25 million increase in funding for Student Success and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV-A of the Every Student Succeeds Act)– another key source of federal funding that can be used in support of CTE. Regarding the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) portion of the request, the Administration is proposing $50 million in additional funding for registered apprenticeship programs, $200 million for the creation of a sector-partnership grant program and $11 million for the Workforce Data Quality Initiative– nearly double the FY23 enacted level. Elsewhere in this portion of the budget, the Administration has proposed additional investments to improve labor market information and to modernize outdated IT systems to better serve workers.  

Additional details regarding the budget are expected to be available next week. The release of the budget formally begins the wider FY24 budget and appropriations process in Congress—an effort that is expected to be challenging in a divided Congress. As this process gets underway, Advance CTE will continue to work with partners on Capitol Hill to ensure the funding needs of the CTE community are reflected in final legislation. 

House Republicans Ban Education Earmarks

For the last few years, members of Congress have been able to make specific funding requests in support of projects or initiatives related to their home state or district. Known formally as “community project funding” in the House and informally as “earmarks” elsewhere, these requests totaled $290 million in last year’s (FY23) spending package for career education initiatives. Last week, House Appropriations Chair Kay Granger (R-TX) announced new guidance for the upcoming FY24 budget and appropriations process. Among other notable changes, the guidance will not allow earmarks for the Labor-HHS-Education funding bill—legislation where Perkins V derives funding—in the upcoming budget and appropriations cycle. Elsewhere, the Senate has announced that it will still allow such requests this year which will be due April 13. 

Encourage Congress to Support the Short-term Pell Grant Expansion

As shared previously, Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Mike Braun (R-IN) reintroduced the Jumpstarting our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act (S.161)– legislation that would expand federal Pell grant funding eligibility to high-quality, shorter-term CTE programs that meet certain criteria. Most recently companion legislation has been introduced in the House (H.R. 793) by Representatives Bill Johnson (R-OH), Lisa Blunt-Rochester (D-DE), Michael Turner (R-OH) and Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ). 

This legislation is a longstanding federal policy priority for Advance CTE and is an important way to expand learner access to high-quality CTE program opportunities at the postsecondary level. Along with our partners at the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE),  we encourage you to reach out to your members of Congress to ask them to support this vitally important legislation and to share this information with your wider networks. 

To contact Congress about the JOBS Act, click here! 

Steve Voytek, Policy Advisor

By Jodi Langellotti in Public Policy
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Advance CTE Fall Meeting Sponsor Blog: Diamond Sponsor, Center for Energy Workforce Development – Seeking a Skilled, Diverse Workforce for America’s Clean Energy Future

Monday, October 3rd, 2022

The energy industry powers life. Business, education, healthcare, and even many of our favorite pastimes are made possible by the energy industry. More than six million people work in energy careers in the United States. These men and women are highly trained, highly skilled and in high-demand. Their roles range from future-focused innovators and engineers exploring new ways to harness and store power to skilled tradespeople, who are the backbone of the industry’s operations. The work of these professionals is essential and rewarding. Because of the knowledge and skills that are required, energy employees are well compensated, often earning above national averages. Energy professionals are proudly leading the country’s attainment of climate change goals while maintaining energy reliability, resiliency, safety and affordability. 

The industry expects to fill hundreds of thousands of positions in the next few years. Industry growth, retirement by tenured employees, and traditional attrition are opening doors for a new workforce seeking stable employment in an essential industry that offers training, mentoring, and on-the-job professional development experiences. The energy sector seeks to prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion for its workforce as it continues to grow.  

With so many different jobs in energy, it can be tough to navigate where and how to start a career journey. There are a tremendous number of career pathways available in the skilled trades, for instance. Learners and career explorers often ask how they should prepare themselves. More specifically, they are curious about postsecondary requirements, including opportunities available from local technical schools and apprenticeships, and what’s possible right after high school. The simple answer is all these avenues can lead to successful energy careers. Yet, they each start you in a different place. The industry is equally reliant on those with degrees and those who prefer to learn through on-the-job training and experience.

The Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD) is a non-profit organization driven by electric, natural gas, nuclear, and renewable energy companies, trade associations, large contractors, and unions. It also unites strategists from industry, education, government, and communities to ensure the industry balances workforce supply and demand to build the necessary talent pipeline. 

We offer several resources to support state CTE leaders in leveraging CTE programs to develop learner experiences and pathways in energy careers. . In addition, some states have a specific energy Career Cluster devoted to preparation for this sector. CTE also provides opportunities to earn stackable certificates, industry-recognized credentials, and degrees as outlined by the Center for Energy Workforce Development’s Get Into Energy website. CEWD also offers a curriculum, Energy Industry Fundamentals, specifically designed to develop the energy workforce of tomorrow and ensure CTE leaders have essential educational tools and resources readily available. 2-3 sentences of what you have worked with a state to do (may be helping them develop a career cluster, aligning energy curriculum with state standards of learning ,etc. 

CEWD welcomes you to join us in developing the energy workforce of the future.  It starts today!

Missy Henriksen, Executive Director, Center for Energy Workforce Development 

 

By Stacy Whitehouse in Advance CTE Fall Meeting
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Advance CTE Fall Meeting Sponsor Blog: Gold Sponsor, Home Builders Institute

Thursday, September 29th, 2022

A severe lack of skilled workers and an aging workforce threaten to slow new home production, curb housing affordability, and derail the industry’s ability to stand strong amid rising recession risks to the overall economy. In fact, the construction industry needs to add 2.2 million workers over the next three years to keep up with housing demand, according to a recent report from the Home Builders Institute (HBI), a workforce development nonprofit that works closely with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). 

Changing social and economic factors are driving a renewed focus on Career Technical Eeducation (CTE) among educators, policymakers, students and their families. Shifting the narrative about Career Clusters® supporting architecture & construction is an important way to capture the interest of young students and their parents. Schools can offer more technical training that exposes students to the potential of many exciting post-graduation architecture & construction career opportunities that don’t result in student debt.   

With nearly 400 programs in 46 states, HBI’s industry-recognized curriculum is preparing the next generation of skilled workers through pre-apprenticeship training and certification programs in secondary schools, community colleges, military bases, Job Corps centers and training academies. These programs are providing students with no-cost training that leads to well-paying jobs and careers in the home building industry. 

Half of construction workers earn more than $49,000 annually with the top 25 percent% making more than $75,000. This eclipses the U.S. median wage of $45,760 and the top quartile making just $68,590. In addition, the industry is one of the few where women and men earn nearly equal pay, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, versus all other occupations where women make just 81.5 percent% of what men earn. 

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) advocates for local, state and federal support of industry-sponsored programs — such as HBI’s —that are successful, cost-effective means of providing skills training and job placement to individuals who can comprise a robust pipeline of trade professionals. Producing more and better workers strengthens families, communities, and the U.S. economy. 

Working with HBI, state CTE leaders can access industry-recognized curriculum and certifications that will provide middle and high school students throughout their state with more opportunities to pursue a stable and successful career path. State leaders can also leverage NAHB’s network of 700 local and state home builders associations. These local  associations comprise building industry leaders from all facets of the construction industry eager to provide mentorship, networking, program support and job opportunities to eligible students. 

There is no single answer to solving the labor gap issue, but working together, NAHB, HBI and State Directors can prepare students for meaningful careers in building that will result in increased housing availability and affordability for American families.

For more information on HBI’s curriculum, visit hbi.org.  To learn more about NAHB’s workforce development efforts, visit nahb.org/workforce.  

Ed Brady, President and CEO, HBI

 

By Stacy Whitehouse in Advance CTE Fall Meeting
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Advance CTE Fall Meeting Sponsor Blog: Gold Sponsor, NOCTI – Navigating Uncertain Times

Friday, September 23rd, 2022

This post is written by NOCTI, a Gold Level sponsor of the 2022 Advance CTE Fall Meeting.

A “black swan” event is an unpredictable occurrence beyond what is normally expected of a situation, often with severe consequences. While the entire educational environment was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, Career Technical Education (CTE), which focuses on hands-on learning, was heavily impacted by this black swan event.  In addition to navigating the perils of COVID-19, CTE experienced instructor shortages and concerns about the limited related work experience of those available for these positions. Though many states have relevant, standardized, industry-identified competencies, the associated curriculum must be delivered by individuals with a solid understanding of the field, which is generally based on work experience. In some cases, these concerns can result in a reduction of content depth delivered in a CTE classroom. 

How does the CTE community respond to these kinds of events? What can states, teacher preparation systems, schools, and administrators do to increase equity and access to CTE programs as well as maintain high-quality program content and delivery? To address these variables would take more space than this blog offers, but we can describe three tools offered by NOCTI and Nocti Business Solutions (NBS). 

Let’s start with a focus on a teacher candidate’s technical skill competence. NBS offers assessments that are used in the hiring process. These assessments can be used to verify a candidate’s experience, determine a candidate’s fit to a position, and establish an employee’s professional development plan upon hire. Using these assessments longitudinally can provide additional information to those hiring CTE teachers.

The second tool is a credentialing assessment developed by NOCTI and several other associations, entitled “Principles of CTE Teaching”. The credential offers two levels and establishes an individual’s understanding of CTE pedagogy and covers student management techniques, facility management and safety, teaching, and both formative and summative assessment strategies. 

The final tool developed by NOCTI, micro-credentials, gathers the collective knowledge of seasoned CTE instructors and subject matter experts. NOCTI utilized longitudinal data across a variety of industries to identify areas in which CTE learners were having difficulty. NOCTI then worked with instructors to design short video segments to address these specific areas. The resulting content segments are available 24/7 and can be viewed repeatedly in both synchronous and asynchronous settings. Micro-credentials can be used in a variety of situations and can be an effective tool to reinforce an instructor’s content knowledge. 

Acting without deliberate planning can exacerbate problems and pondering an issue without action rarely helps anyone progress. NOCTI’s tools were designed to assist in the expansion of the CTE community and represent thoughtful actions to inspire state CTE leaders to address instructor pipeline challenges and empower new instructors to be successful in CTE.  Please reach out to us to find out more at [email protected].

Dr. John C. Foster, President and CEO, NOCTI & NBS 

 

By Stacy Whitehouse in Advance CTE Fall Meeting
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