ACTE PACE Summit 2024

Educators rely on partnerships with businesses in developing curriculum, defining outcomes, and making the case for higher ed’s return on investment with good-paying jobs. Prospective students are more interested in career outcomes as fears of student debt have been amplified in the media. Recent studies from Anthology, Bay View Analytics, ECMC, and others all show how career and technical education is now a top priority when deciding to enroll. With a declining number of high school graduates, colleges are competing for a smaller pool of prospective students and working hard to attract non-traditional students too. In addition to a review of data proving how CTE’s image has gained respect, this presentation covers the many ways colleges are adapting. The addition of micro credentials, certifications, work-site training, and systems changes combine with a renewed recognition that higher education and the business community must partner closely to hire the company’s next generation of workers with all the right skills. For postsecondary administrators, professionals, and educators, takeaways include current trends in curriculum changes, promising practices, brand-identity evolutions for colleges and universities, and the need for a close-knit partnership with businesses through industrial advisory boards, job recruitment, and celebration of students joining the workforce.