Tim Hodges, Director of Research for Gallup’s Education Practice, and William (Bill) Symonds, Director of the Harvard Graduate School of Education Pathways to Prosperity Project, have joined the Board of Directors of the National Career Technical Education Foundation (NCTEF). Hodges and Symonds bring to NCTEF their reputable experience in and longstanding commitment to quality education.
Dean Folkers, NCTEF Deputy Executive Director, calls Hodges and Symons “visionary leaders who are committed to charting a new path for education in America” who will help NCTEF’s work in supporting and pursuing high-quality CTE.
Under NASDCTEc, NCTEF develops and funds activities and programs that are designed to improve CTE.  NCTEF has focused significant efforts in support of Career Clusters ™ projects and efforts to increase the visibility and advance quality of CTE. As public members of the Board of Directors these leaders will advise and influence the policy and direction of the work NCTEF supports in CTE and Career Clusters™
Hodges consults with K-12 school districts and higher education institutions to lead research projects in strengths development, employee selection and engagement, and wellbeing. Â Â Hodges experienced formal CTE through marketing and agricultural programs, and served in leadership roles for Career Technical Student Organizations as well.
Symonds is the primary author of a groundbreaking report – Pathways to Prosperity: Meeting the Challenge of Preparing Young Americans for the 21st Century – which was released in February 2011. Since, he has been invited to speak about the report in more than half the 50 states. The report analyzes the reasons America has failed to prepare so many of its youth to lead successful lives as adults, and notably suggests supporting high-quality, comprehensive pathways, such as those used in CTE, that will lead students to a certificate or a postsecondary credential.
Erin Uy, Communications & Marketing Manager