The most effective CTE programs create lifelong learners who are ready for the workforce.
As artificial intelligence advances, district leaders like Janel Humphries want to equip students with career-relevant skills that won’t become obsolete after graduation.
“Technology innovation requires CTE programs to remain living, responsive systems,” says Humphries, the CTE director at the Dallas Independent School District in Texas.
New technology doesn’t modernize a program. Instead, educators must connect instruction to evolving industries by letting students apply new skills in “authentic settings.”
“We continually examine labor-market needs, industry-recognized credentials, program outcomes, emerging technologies and feedback from employers, educators, higher education partners and other stakeholders,” she explains.
Technical skills alone are no longer enough for a student to earn employment, she adds. Employers want applicants who can communicate, collaborate and solve unfamiliar problems, and have a strong desire to learn.
“Our responsibility is to give students access to current tools while building the confidence and flexibility to navigate technologies and careers that may continue to change after they graduate,” she explains.
Establishing long-term partnerships
The strongest pathways are built collaboratively. Leaders must work closely with higher education institutions, local employers and community organizations to establish partnerships that “extend beyond one-time events or guest speakers.”
Dallas ISD teaches CTE in four phases: awareness, exploration, preparation and placement. Local partners can be involved at any stage, from introducing younger students to careers to mentoring high schoolers, letting them visit job sites and earning credentials.
“The goal is to create clear, intentional connections so that students understand not only what opportunities exist, but also the education, skills, experiences and relationships that help them reach those opportunities,” she says.
Addressing the tech pushback
Concerns about excessive tech use are rising in many communities. Humphries says pushback shouldn’t be a barrier, but an opportunity for leaders to discuss data privacy, bias, ethics and academic integrity with families.
“CTE is particularly well-positioned to lead those conversations because it places technology within an authentic career context,” she says.
Her district isn’t preparing students to be replaced by technology. She’s teaching them how to use it responsibly while preserving the human ingenuity that remains essential in nearly every industry.
As a featured speaker at the upcoming Future of Technology Conference in January, Humphries will share how her CTE department is building career-connected learning as “an intentionally designed ecosystem rather than a collection of individual programs.”
Participants will also learn how dashboards, automated connections and other process improvements can help districts scale complex initiatives while preserving educators’ time to work directly with students.
“Our goal is for attendees to do more than hear about our programs,” she says. “We want them to experience the work, examine the systems behind it and leave with practical ideas they can adapt within their own communities.”
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