95th Annual Illinois Association for Career and Technical Education Conference

This roundtable will give Deans in the Career and Technical Education division an opportunity to discuss current events: Perkins funding, Programs of Study, Scheduling, Adjunct Faculty, and Implementation of New Programs just to name a few topics. Additionally, the individuals who participate can join in on the CTE Dean's Commission through ICCCA and a book club if so interested. 

This session is designed for internship coordinators and educators who work closely with students engaging in WBL experiences. Participants will explore, collaborate and share effective strategies for recruiting both students and host sites, optimizing the quality of internship experiences, and developing a robust work-based learning curriculum that complements and enriches internship programs. The session will also include a discussion into the key quality components that make an internship program successful, ensuring students gain valuable, real-world skills.

While our programs often excel at incorporating technical skills in the classroom, employers are seeing skill gaps with new hires in areas including reliability, communication skills, organizational skills, and critical thinking. Faculty might agree that students in their classrooms are lacking these skills as well! Join us as we talk about ways to incorporate these Essential Skills into curriculum giving students the foundation they need for success in the classroom and beyond.

Join us for an insightful session that will describe how one Illinois school district is standing up and growing their WBL/Career Internship program. Our WBL/Career Internship course is designed for students in career pathways working toward a College and Career Pathway Endorsement (CCPE). Explore how our district aligned our program to state initiatives, along with the many resources we use, including Schoolinks and AI, to ensure that our students have unique and meaningful Work-Based Learning experiences. This session is designed for educators, administrators, and career development/WBL professionals wanting to build and/or grow their Work-Based Learning/Internship program.