2026 CACTE CareerTech Summit

Building strong community partnerships doesn’t have to feel overwhelming—it can be as fun and strategic as going fishing! In this session, we’ll show you how to cast your line with confidence—cold calling, connecting, and marketing your school or program’s needs to attract the right collaborators. Using a “catch and release” approach, you’ll see examples, learn best practices, and explore proven strategies for establishing authentic connections, then have a moment to try out your ideas in real time. You’ll leave with a toolkit packed with cold call/email scripts, a partnership prospecting “fishing map,” tips for establishing relationships, and curated resources to keep your network growing. This session is perfect for educators, work-based learning coordinators, and administrators ready to hook meaningful partnerships that expand student career exploration and skill development. This session is ideal for educators, work-based learning coordinators, and administrators who are new to WBL or looking to refresh their skills, and who want to expand their social capital, build meaningful connections, and establish and cultivate new partnerships. 

This session focuses on building stronger connections between CTE teachers, administrators, and district leaders to better support students and strengthen programs. We’ll explore simple, practical ways to improve communication, build a shared vision, and make collaboration more intentional across all levels of CTE.
Designed for teachers, coordinators, and administrators, participants will walk away with easy-to-use strategies for staying aligned on goals like industry credentials, work-based learning, and postsecondary opportunities.
The session includes interactive discussion, quick reflection activities, and real-world examples you can relate to and use right away. Attendees will also receive ready-to-use tools like communication templates and planning resources to help strengthen relationships and improve CTE program success back home.

This session explores the gap between classroom learning and clinical practice in health science education, examining its causes and impact on student readiness and patient safety. Health science educators, program coordinators, and clinical instructors will gain actionable strategies to align standards-based curriculum with hands-on learning, bridging this divide. Attendees will learn to conduct gap analyses, prioritize competency-based content, and implement teaching methods that foster clinical competence and patient-centered care. The session features interactive discussions and insights from a local school partner guest speaker, providing real-world examples of successful integration. Participants will receive practical deliverables, including handouts, slide decks, gap analysis tools, and resource links to support curriculum refinement and immersive learning. Join us to enhance your program’s effectiveness and better prepare confident, competent healthcare professionals ready to excel in clinical settings.

All CDOC attendees should attend. CDOC staff will host this meet-up. Please plan on approximately an hour.