Communicating with CTE teachers, administrators and other staff is key to ensuring that information you have for each CTE program is current and relevant. Standards for CTE programs change relatively frequently, as do other available offerings like industry credentials, work-based learning and postsecondary credit opportunities, so it’s important to make sure you have the most up-to-date information from year to year.

If your school or district has someone in one of these roles, they are generally responsible for developing, managing and overseeing career exploration and work-based learning experiences for students across multiple programs. Such opportunities may include organizing guest speakers and career fairs and working with employers, teachers and students to coordinate job shadows, internships and apprenticeships.

They can help you by:
● Providing the most up-to-date information on opportunities for students.
● Assisting in aligning student interest inventories and career assessments to available CTE programs and opportunities.
● Communicating employer partner expectations for students before career exploration and work-based learning activities.
● Reflecting with students on lessons learned after these activities.

What is Work-based Learning?: Learn more about the work-based learning continuum with ACTE’s "What is Work-based Learning?” fact sheet.

Postsecondary partners can help you understand and communicate opportunities for CTE students on the college level, facilitating student transition by minimizing unexpected or unnecessary roadblocks.

These partners can assist counselors in:
● Understanding available CTE dual/concurrent enrollment opportunities and articulation agreements and how students can access these opportunities.
● Tracking program pre-requisites at the postsecondary level.
● Staying informed about admission requirements.
● Understanding how credits gained and credentials earned in high school can be transferred or stacked after graduation.

While most information regarding CTE and work-based learning will come to you from school or district staff, if there is not a position dedicated to this work it may be useful for you to connect with employer partners to assist with the following:
● Offering work-based learning opportunities.
● Sharing workplace insights that can be communicated with students.
● Speaking first-hand about in-demand careers and skills.
● Serving as guest speakers.
● Serving as mock interviewers or reviewing resumes.
● Providing feedback on student readiness for work-based learning and careers.

You may also interact with employer partners if you participate in CTE program advisory boards.

Community partners differ from employer partners in that they don’t directly hire students, but they support CTE programs in other ways. These partners may include nonprofit organizations, workforce boards, chambers of commerce, economic development agencies and other local agencies working directly in workforce development.

Community partners may help you in the following ways:
● Sharing information about scholarships, transportation assistance, childcare assistance and other resources to help remove barriers.
● Hosting career fairs, assisting with skills-based competitions for CTSOs, and organizing other events where students can explore career pathways.
● Offering mentoring programs and job readiness workshops.

These community partners may also serve on CTE advisory boards.