ACTE PACE Summit 2024

Participants will learn about a structured CTE scholarship program that provides students with scholarships, work-based learning, and support services. A review of a successful recruitment strategy, application process and programmatic elements will be presented along with early results of the program. Recruiting students towards new and emerging technical fields remains an ongoing challenge for postsecondary institutions. Without well-established career and educational pathways, students, parents, and educators alike may be unaware of the potential of high-demand high-wage in emerging technology. This session will present a model for building workforce capacity in engineering technology, specifically in semiconductor manufacturing and data center operations. During the past 5 years, Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) has implemented a targeted series of interventions - including educator externships, summer bridge programs, and a comprehensive scholarship program – to build regional pathways to careers in these disciplines. The session will review the recruitment strategy, application processes, and programmatic elements, with a focus on how these methods might be adapted to other emerging fields.