| DAY 1 – FRIDAY | MARCH 1, 2024 |
| 5:00 – 6:30 PM |
Opening Remarks / Welcome Reception
Optimist Terrace
- Chuck Saylors, A4LE; Chairman ‘24
- Pam Loeffelman, FAIA, Symposium Co- Chair
|
| 6:30 PM |
Dinner on your own
Visit Charlotte: www.charlottesgotalot.com
Restaurant suggestions:
More uptown dining options: www.charlottesgotalot.com/eat-drink
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| DAY 2 – SATURDAY | MARCH 2, 2024 |
| 8:00 AM |
Registration Open
Overlook Ballroom Foyer |
| 8:30 – 8:45 AM |
Welcome: Ashlee' Campbell, Director, Career and Technical Education, Charlotte Mecklenburg School District |
| 8:50 – 9:50 AM |
Session 1: Convergence of Federal, State and District Policy thru the Public Sector
Hear from two perspectives leading the way with policies and connections that allow all students to succeed:
CareerWise is An Options Multiplier. Any student—regardless of future plans—can benefit from apprenticeship. A student can start as an apprentice and end with a Ph.D., or apprenticeship can train a student to step directly into a bookkeeper position so they can go on to be a CFO. It’s a model of education that reveals multiple options to career and higher education. Apprenticeship is not a diversion from higher education—it’s a rigorous education option that combines theoretical learning with practical learning that focuses career and education objectives. It can also be a direct
path to high-paying, in-demand jobs in modern fields such as business operations, financial services, advanced manufacturing, technology and healthcare.
Increasingly students are engaging in multi-year processes that intentionally guide students
and families in the exposure and exploration of career, academic and postsecondary opportunities.
With the support of adults and industry, students develop the awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and
skills to create their own meaningful and powerful pathways to Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness.
Articles to reference: CAPS Network Students Gain Skills and Scholarships | Getting Smart
- Ryan Gensler, Executive Vice President, CareerWise
|
| 10:00 – 11:30 AM |
Session 2: All Roads Lead to the Carolinas
In this session the Leadership Team of the CTE Innovation Center @ Roper Mountain will share their vision for a new approach in Career Center design and operation. Taking the approach of planning, designing and constructing a Center that houses nontraditional CTE programs for only a brief period, like an incubator, and once developed can be replicated in all, or some, of the other four Centers in their District. Currently, this Innovation Center houses classes in aviation, clean energy, automotive clean energy, advanced robotics and more. This session will walk the audience through every aspect of vision, dreams, planning, design, construction and operations
Greenville County Schools is a 78,000 student school district serving a rural, urban and suburban population in the Upstate of South Carolina covering 800 square miles in a rapidly growing area. This presentation addresses opportunities provided to students through our G+ (Graduation Plus) Initiative. G+ has as its focus students graduating with industry certification or college credit or both. Specifically this session will address the college credit aspects of G+ on both the regular dual credit, AP course and Technical College Dual Credit. Included will be examples of career pathways initiated at the high school level with advance standing and continued in some cases through to the post graduate level. The program is structured in such a way that it can be replicated with technology, cooperative ventures with other districts and post- secondary partnerships without regard to school or district size.
Join Dr. Burke Royster, Superintendent and Katie Porter, Director of CTE Innovation Center as they provide an overview on Graduation Plus Recognizing that jobs in today’s workforce require more than a high school education, Greenville County Schools is committed to graduating students with a diploma, plus a technical certification and/or college credit. Graduation Plus is a district-wide initiative from pre-K through high school to ensure all students are career and college ready. Part of the presentation will involve the special case study of Roper Mountain. From initial concept through design and opening. Innovative classes, including clean energy technology and advanced EV technologies, etc. GCS Breaks Ground on New Roper Mountain Science Center Building
- Dr. Burke Royster, Superintendent, Greenville County Schools, SC
- Katie Porter,
Director, CTE Innovation Center,
Greenville County Schools, SC
|
| 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM |
Lunch
|
| 12:30 – 1:00 PM
|
Session 3: What About the Arts?
Virtual Tour
Arts, Media and Entertainment sector includes more than 1.8 million employees and accounts for over $625 billion in revenue by 2025. Join two institutions as they discuss existing programs and potential programs at the high school and university level.
Full Sail University offers campus and online degree programs that are designed for the world of entertainment media and emerging technologies. Offering associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees, Full Sail's approach is centered on real-world industry experience and creative problem-solving. Our philosophy centers on recognizing the value in creative thinking and the importance of hands-on experience. We provide an immersive, fast-paced, and relevant learning experience that mirrors the workflow and collaboration found throughout today's rapidly evolving industries. Join us for a virtual tour of this facility.
- Jason Frye, Director of Outreach, Full Sail University
|
| 1:00 – 1:50 PM |
Session 4: Group Activity: CTE Best Practices
Join Phillip Nowlin as he discusses leading and linking academics, applied learning and architecture that enables. Aqua Fria High School District has become a national leader in teacher and student engagement through real world learning. Agua Fria High School District / AFUHSD
- Phillip Nowlin, Deputy Superintendent Academics and Schools, Aqua Fria High School District, AZ
|
| 2:00 – 2:50 PM |
Session 5: What About Rural? And Farm to Table Programs That are Making a Difference
Panel Discussion related to Agricultural Programs, Farm to Table
|
| 3:00 – 3:50 PM |
Session 6: Going Green
The World Economic Forum recently issued a report identifying climate change as the most impactful issue that Generation Z must remedy. The Green Industrial Revolution is gaining traction across the globe as nations focus their attention on stemming climate change through carbon reduction initiatives which will result in a wave of Green Economy Jobs for American youth obtaining relevant knowledge and skills (Forbes has projected an American shortfall of 9M unfilled clean energy jobs by 2030).
America’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 makes the single largest investment in climate and energy in our nation’s history, enabling America to tackle the climate crisis, advancing environmental justice, and securing America's position as a world leader in domestic clean energy manufacturing.
North Carolina received the 2nd largest IRA Grant ($24M Steps4Growth clean Energy workforce development grant) in September 2022, and has since established an Ecosystem of stakeholders consisting of K-12, Community Colleges, and Universities to collectively work with local Energy employers to:
- establish meaningful K-16 Energy Transition & Sustainability curriculum;
- determine equipment & technology purchases;
- design innovative Energy Transition learning & career awareness programs;
- significantly expand the amount of meaningful work-based learning opportunities related to expanding the Energy Transition talent pool; and,
- facilitate candidates onboarding sustainable wage jobs created by the emerging Green Industrial Revolution.
A panel consisting of local Energy employers and educators from Higher Ed as well as the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School system’s CTE department will discuss their work as strategic partners with aligning the wants and needs of local Energy employers to Education. https://ncbce.org/steps4growth/#About
Panelists:
- Dr. Rob Cox, UNC-Charlotte & NC’s Steps4Growth Clean Energy Workforce Development Coalition
- Tod Skinner, President, American Engineering Group
- Greg Boone, Operations Manager, Siemens Energy
- Lauren Statema, Talent Acquisition Manager, Atom Power
- Mike Realon, Palisades High School
|
| 4:30 – 6:00 PM |
Reception at VS America Showroom
Transportation provided
|
| 6:30 PM |
Dinner on your own or join colleagues for dine around options
Visit Charlotte: www.charlottesgotalot.com
Restaurant suggestions:
More uptown dining options: www.charlottesgotalot.com/eat-drink
|
| DAY 3 – SUNDAY | MARCH 3, 2024 |
| 7:30 AM |
Registration Open |
| 8:15 – 8:30 AM |
Welcoming Remarks / A4LE SE
|
| 8:30 – 9:20 AM |
Session 7: Built for Exploration: Preparing Middle Schoolers for an Effective CTE Experience
Today there is renewed emphasis on the high school years as a time for broad post-secondary preparation and workforce readiness. School districts are building career pathway curricula around offerings that include work-based learning, credentialing, and industry partnerships. Educational program directors increasingly make choices informed by sought-after skill sets and evolving job sector trends. The goal is to enable all students to get a head start on life after high school, whatever path they pursue. Middle school education can support an effective high school career pathway experience. Applied learning methods often resonate with students at this age. One case study project, for Weymouth Public Schools in Massachusetts, provides a view into how a redesigned middle school educational program and accompanying architectural solution can create a career pathway feeder for a district’s comprehensive high school.
- Matt LaRue, AIA, LEED GA, Associate Principal, HMFH Architects
- Matthew Meehan, Director of Educational Facilities Planning, CEFP
|
| 9:30 – 10:20 AM |
Session 8: Enroll, Enlist, or Gainful Employment: CTE Provides Multiple Pathways for Student Success
As a School Division, Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) believes we must provide all students with access to equitable experiences and opportunities ensuring success for all students. To support post-secondary preparedness, PWCS Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs offer access to multiple pathways for students to earn college credit, industry certification, and opportunities to participate in work-based learning experiences while in high school.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the impact CTE has on student achievement in core subject areas.
- Understand the multiple pathways to success when students engage in career and technical education (CTE).
- Understand the connection between CTE, workforce development and economic develop.
Join Sarah Martin as she sets a frame for Career and Technical Education that starts in middle school and extends throughout their high schools years, including robust JROTC programs for all of the service branches. Career and Technical Education – Prince William County Public Schools
- Sarah Martin, Director Career and Technical Education, Prince William School District, VA
|
| 10:30 – 11:20 AM |
Session 9: Guilds, Unions, and Industry Partners
Germany takes a unique approach to career and technical education by integrating the idea of “Practice + Theory”. Academic content studied in the classroom is paired with relevant workplace experience, so that real-life situations immediately test the effectiveness of classroom theory and vice versa. Thomas Doe from VS America will discuss both his experience attending the German Duale Hochschule System as well as VS America’s experience as one of 9,000 partner companies supporting this institution, in order to help attendees brainstorm ways to implement this idea effectively within their institutions.
|
| 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM |
Session 10: Curriculum for Tomorrow
Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95 leaders knew change was imminent to better position themselves in future-ready environments at Lake Zurich High School. They also recognized the need for help in navigating new teaching and learning curriculum and the flexible, adaptable learning spaces for their programming, CTE, and Pathways work. Join Lake Zurich and DLR Group in a discussion about the proven process as the District 95 team talks about a curriculum for the future and the learning spaces to support their vision to ensure that the environment and practices align with the district’s instructional model and its newly developed Strategic Plan.
- Tim Shimp, BOLD Leader, DLR Group
- Ali Finn, Director of College and Career Readiness, Lake Zurich School District, IL
- Angela Stallion, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, Lake Zurich School District, IL
|
| 12:30 PM |
Lunch on your own |