Career Connections & Pathways

Artificial intelligence is quickly reshaping Career and Technical Education, and this recent Education Week piece offers a useful look at how CTE teachers are blending AI into hands-on learning:https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/classroom-view-how-ai-is-influencing-teacher-approaches-to-career-and-technical-ed/2025/11

One of the educators highlighted in the article is Leah Ferguson, a local CTE Graphic Design & Digital Media teacher at The Dalles High School. Leah’s inclusion is a proud moment for our region - her classroom is featured as an example of how CTE teachers are helping students use AI creatively and responsibly. Her students treat AI as an early-stage design partner, while the real creative and technical work still happens through thoughtful human skill.

Practical Ways CTE Teachers Can Use AI Today

Use AI for early drafts and ideation.

• Generate quick sketches, concepts, or outlines.

• Have students critique the AI outputs, then build their own versions.

A growing number of Gen Z students are questioning the traditional “college-for-all” pathway — and for good reason. The CNBC feature “Gen Z Ditching College for Blue-Collar Careers” explores how young people are redefining success, rediscovering the value of skilled trades, and demanding education that feels relevant and purposeful.

For secondary educators and CTE teachers, this cultural shift offers a moment to help students connect what they learn today with who they hope to become tomorrow.

🔍 Key Takeaways for Educators

1. Relevance beats rhetoric. Students aren’t rejecting education—they’re rejecting irrelevance. Bring learning to life with local examples, industry projects, and short “Pop-In” visits from professionals who use the very skills you teach.

2. College now means many things. The video highlights apprenticeships, technical programs, and credentials that open doors to high-wage, high-demand careers. Help students see all their options—community college, on-the-job training, or four-year degrees—as valid pathways.

A recent survey from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the College Board found that most hiring managers feel high school graduates are not fully prepared for the workforce. Employers consistently point to the need for communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and real-world experience. Read the full article here: “4 in 5 hiring managers say high schoolers not prepared for workforce”.

That might sound like a challenge—but it’s also a powerful opportunity. The same skills employers want most are the ones that make student learning more relevant, engaging, and future-ready. With a few intentional shifts, we can help students graduate not just with knowledge, but with capability.

Practical Shifts Educators Can Make

1. Teach content through real-world problems. Frame lessons as authentic professional challenges. For example, instead of “solve for x,” ask: “How would a local engineer calculate material costs for a bridge?” In English class, have students draft a product…

At the September 25, 2025 Regional CTE Advisory meeting, educators, administrators, industry, and community partners participated in a live poll to identify which durable skills from the Oregon Employability Skills curriculum they felt were most critical for today’s workforce. The top three were:

1. Problem-Solving / Analysis & Solution Mindset

2. Communication

3. Adaptability

   
   

These results echo what global research is finding. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 notes that employers expect 39% of workers’ core skills to change by 2030—across almost every industry. This reinforces the insight from our own regional poll: technical competencies are vital, but they won’t remain static. It’s the durable skills—like problem-solving, communication, and adaptability—that equip workers to transfer their knowledge, adjust to shifting roles, and thrive in evolving career landscapes.

For educators in the Gorge, the message is clear. Embedding these employability skills into classroom projects and CTE programs of study is not just an add-on; it’s central to…