Dr. Craig Leager and Becky Zesiger Indian Hills Community College This session delves into a successful case study of a Career and Technical Education (CTE) collaboration between a community college and regional high schools. Participants will explore the strategies, challenges, and outcomes of this partnership, focusing on how it effectively bridged the gap between secondary and post-secondary education.
The presentation will highlight the partnership's development, including the alignment of curriculum, shared resources, and work-based learning opportunities. Attendees will gain insights into how this collaboration enhanced student engagement, improved student success, and prepared students for both college and careers. Practical takeaways will include models for implementation, best practices for overcoming obstacles, and methods for measuring the impact of similar partnerships. This session is ideal for educators and administrators seeking to create or strengthen CTE pathways in their communities. Explore collaboration strategies, overcoming challenges, resource alignment, and measuring successes .This session would also include the Director of High School Programs and a superintendent from Indian Hills Community College's region.
Wednesday June 18, 2025 9:00am - 9:45am CDT Altoona Room
Amy MieheWaterloo Career Center What happens when a career center and a community organization join forces to create real opportunities for students? Over the past five years, the Waterloo Career Center and SHIPHT have built a work-based learning partnership that’s changing the game—helping students gain hands-on experience, connect with employers, and step confidently into careers. In this interactive session, we’ll share real stories, dive into the lessons learned, and explore what makes this kind of partnership work. Expect engaging discussions, audience Q&A, and practical exercises to help you bring these ideas to life in your own community. Whether you’re an educator, employer, or community leader, you’ll leave with actionable takeaways and new perspectives to strengthen work-based learning where you are!Objective 1: Explore Lessons from a Successful Partnership- Understand how the five-year collaboration between the Waterloo Career Center and SHIPHT has created impactful work-based learning opportunities and apply best practices to your own initiatives
Objective 2: Identify Key Strategies for Implementation- Learn how to develop and sustain community-industry partnerships that provide students with hands-on experience
Objective 3: Strengthen Employer & Community Collaboration- Discover ways to connect business educators and organizations to build career-ready pathways for students
Darell Butcher, Southeast Polk K-12 College & Career Readiness Coordinator Sam Groark from Iowa Central Building & Trades
Attend this session to learn how to create Quality Pre-Apprenticeship Programs in high schools. SouthEast Polk has created 5 QPA in our district (Carpentry, Electricians, Sheet Metal Workers, HVAC & Plumbing, and an introductory course, Introduction to Apprenticeship.1. Benefits of QPA's 2. The process involved in creating a QPA's 3. How to implement a QPA without adding additional courses 4. Resources of contacts and supports to get a QPA up and running
Wednesday June 18, 2025 9:55am - 10:25am CDT Grandquist Room
Dawn Bowlus, Jacobson Institute - The University of Iowa Ready to turn students into the next generation of powerhouse entrepreneurs? This session is your blueprint for teaching entrepreneurship while weaving in work-based learning experiences that actually matter for long-term success. We’ll dive into the best practices that break down the walls of where learning happens, engaging the community to spark economic vitality. Let’s bring the real world into the classroom and the classroom into the real world. This session will build connections between entrepreneurship, work-based learning, place-making, and community engagement. Participants will learn ways that the HS entrepreneurship classroom can be leveraged and utilized as a hub for student-centered, problem-based, and community-connected learning. Participants will learn about the Innovative Leader Credential that HS students can earn through demonstration of leadership skills such as creative thinking, collaboration, decision-making, emotional intelligence, and resilience. Participants will leave with an actionable plan to leverage entrepreneurial learning and leadership development across their schools. *Participants will learn about the connections between entrepreneurship education and leadership skill development *Participants will learn about the Innovative Leader Industry Recognized Credential *Participants will be prepared to develop a customized entrepreneurial learning environment at their schools to connect entrepreneurship, work-based learning, and community connectedness, helping students develop the leadership skills needed to be successful and to contribute to society.
Heather Meissen, Iowa Department of Education Kristy Black, Kirkwood Community College
Legislation (Senate File 2411) has recently redefined what counts as work-based learning (WBL). Additionally, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Postsecondary Readiness Index now includes the percentage of high school students participating in a qualifying work-based learning experience and attaining industry-recognized credentials (IRCs). During this session, staff from the Iowa Department of Education will summarize these changes and guide school districts and community colleges on how to implement WBL and IRCs into CTE programming through the career and academic planning process. Additionally, the presentation will illustrate how Kirkwood Community College has successfully navigated these changes to provide concurrent enrollment and career academy students in their region with WBL experiences and IRC attainment.After this session, attendees will be able to: 1) Summarize the differences between the different types of WBL established by Senate File 2411; 2) Describe the accountability measures in place in relation to WBL and IRCs; 3) Describe how to incorporate WBL and IRCs into students' career and academic plans and CTE programs; and 4) Develop strategies to communicate WBL and IRC information between community colleges and school districts.
Wednesday June 18, 2025 9:55am - 10:25am CDT Altoona Room
Heather GaumerSallie Mae Let’s talk about the challenges of how to pay for and complete career and technical training. We'll discuss the funding sources students and families rely on, evaluate trends that impact families’ strategies, and expose misconceptions that prevent some from making college and training more affordable. Through the results of Sallie Mae’s two research studies, we’ll uncover what separates students who are on track from those who are at risk and discuss what opportunities exist to help more students start and complete their training. Uncover data and evolving trends in how students pay for training Discover free resources that can be implemented in student communication and persistence plans Learn how to communicate the value over the price of training.
Wednesday June 18, 2025 10:35am - 11:05am CDT Altoona Room
Marjorie Lane, Family Consumer Sciences Teacher and FCS Curriculum Coordinator Iowa City Community School District IACTE Mentorship Program
CTE is the window to success in life and careers for all students. Let's not forget the opportunities CTE can open to Special Education students through courses, IRCs, and WBL.
Wednesday June 18, 2025 10:35am - 11:05am CDT Grandquist Room
Workshops: Locations will be determined at a later time Prepare your programs to meet Iowa’s State Determined Levels of Performance (SDLPS) for Perkins CTE Concentrators by connecting with experts in an afternoon workshop around one of three areas:
Implementing Industry-Recognized Credentials (IRCs) to equip your students for high-demand careers
Developing work-based learning (WBL) opportunities like internships, apprenticeships, and project-based partnerships to transform the educational experience
Enhancing your Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) to foster students’ leadership and technical skills
