Preview Conference Sessions of 2026 Midwinter Leadership Conference

Quality and Compliance monitoring can be stressful, especially if it is your year to be monitored! Come to this training to get the latest information, schedules, guides, and best practices from other CTE Directors! This training is focused on those who will be monitored in 2026-2027, but anyone is welcome. Program Services team will be there as your resources through the entire monitoring process.

Registered Apprenticeship is a proven earn-and-learn model that combines paid, on-the-job training with related technical instruction, leading to a nationally recognized credential and a pathway to sustainable careers. CTE plays a vital role in preparing learners to succeed in these programs. This session will explore how CTE educators, counselors, and program directors can help students move from potential to accessible career pathways by embracing potential-based hiring, which values aptitude, motivation, transferable skills, and relevant real-world experience. We will discuss how to build pre-apprenticeship and readiness pathways that develop both technical and employability skills, and how employer engagement is key to ensuring programs align with real industry needs.

This workshop on Arizona CTE Credentials using the updated process will equip educators and session attendees with practical strategies for integrating high-quality, industry-recognized credentials into Career and Technical Education programs. The focus is on moving beyond conceptual understanding to tangible implementation that strengthens curriculum, increases student employability, and aligns with workforce demands. Bring your applications in progress, questions, and best practices to this hands-on session where we will guide you to a successful completion of your credential application. Bring your own device!

What if every Arizona middle school student entered high school with clarity, confidence, and purpose? Arizona’s Middle School Career Exploration 3-Year Partnership Plan aims to make that vision a reality. This session highlights a statewide collaboration among key partners and invites others to join in building a system where all students experience high-quality, developmentally appropriate career literacy and exploration. Participants will explore recommended policy alignments, professional learning supports, and local implementation models that help students identify their strengths, connect learning to real-world opportunities, and design pathways to success. The session unpacks research-based components of quality career exploration, the development of early Education and Career Action Plans (ECAPs), and evidence of their impact on student engagement and learning. Attendees will leave inspired by how career-connected learning in middle school fuels motivation, strengthens durability skills, and expands opportunity, extending the runway to every learner’s future.

Educator Externships provide teachers with real-world learning experiences that strengthen Career Pathways content across CTE and academic programs. A partnership with the Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA), the Maricopa County School Superintendent’s Office with the Exploring Pathways to Bioscience & Healthcare Careers program offers a one-day Externship that connect directly with postsecondary programs, current students, and professionals. Participants gain understanding of skills, technologies, certifications, and expectations needed in high-demand sectors. Hearing from faculty, touring labs, simulations, and engaging with workforce, educators enrich their knowledge to support career learning and advise students. Attendees will explore externship activities, classroom resources, and teacher feedback that illustrate how externships deepen classroom relevance and improve student career awareness. The session will conclude with a brainstorm to identify new areas of interest, industry sectors, and emerging skills to shape future educator externships planned for Summer 2026.

This session explores how schools can strengthen career literacy and postsecondary readiness through a comprehensive, student-centered planning approach used across elementary, middle, and high school levels. As a former school counselor and current student success consultant, Amy will share practical strategies districts are using to help students discover strengths, connect interests to real career pathways, and build actionable postsecondary plans aligned to state expectations. The session will highlight effective practices for supporting counselor-led planning, improving student ownership, engaging families, and using data to guide meaningful conversations at scale. Participants will see examples of career exploration activities, course planning structures that promote academic alignment, and reporting methods that help teams identify early needs and close opportunity gaps. This session is designed to support counselors, administrators, and career readiness professionals seeking to deepen their students’ readiness for life after graduation. No products or services will be promoted.

Artificial Intelligence is transforming education, and at West-MEC, we're strategically integrating this technology to provide mock Interviews and expand access to authentic work-based learning experiences. Through our implementation of Immersive Solutions MetaCoach AI technology in our Medical Assistant and Aesthetics programs, we're pioneering a scalable approach to hands-on career preparation. Our initiative Demonstrates how AI can democratize access to immersive learning through interactive training sessions, virtual workplace scenarios, and advanced 3D modeling of professional environments. Show participants that by bringing traditionally external experiences inside our classroom walls, we're creating a blueprint for expanding equitable access to career preparation – particularly valuable for rural communities and programs facing clinical site shortages. Join us for an interactive demonstration and explore how AI-enabled learning environments could help your program scale quality Mock Interviews and work-based learning opportunities. Experience the technology firsthand and discover how emerging tools can break down barriers while maintaining industry standards.

How much time have you spent keeping up with your reporting requirements only to wish you had the data readily available when you needed it? The Eduthings platform will compile student data for programs of study, industry certifications, CTSO participation, work-based learning and more. During this session, discover how Eduthings can save you time and frustration by collecting and analyzing CTE data for you.

This session explores how social media shapes adolescents’ impressionability, identity, and career choices, which are ultimately influencing our future workforce. Constant exposure to rapid online feedback conditions teens to seek instant validation, making them more susceptible to external influence and less patient with long-term goals. As a result, career decisions may be based on popularity or perceived status rather than genuine interest or skill. To counter this, educators and employers can help youth develop resilience and self-efficacy by setting smaller, bite-sized goals that provide consistent positive reinforcement, which are mirroring social media’s instant feedback loops, but in a productive, skill-building way. By aligning digital feedback patterns with real-world growth, we can better prepare the next generation for meaningful, sustainable careers and ensure their digital habits become a strength, not a setback.

This will be a recap of the work currently being done by the Academies of the Southwest Valley as we move into year 2 of implementation. This session will explore the work around our Guaranteed Experiences, Academy PLCs, Partner Engagement, and more!

The ACOVA Critical Issues session at the ACTEAZ Midwinter Conference provides CTE leaders with a dedicated space to collaborate, reflect, and identify the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing Career & Technical Education today. Designed for local directors and administrators across Arizona, this interactive working session invites participants to share their top priorities, emerging concerns, and real-world insights related to both local and statewide CTE issues. Through facilitated discussion and collaborative analysis, attendees will collectively determine and prioritize the current critical issues impacting CTE programs. The outcomes of this session directly inform and shape the ACOVA Board’s annual program of work—ensuring that statewide efforts, advocacy, and professional development initiatives remain aligned with the needs of those leading programs at the local level. Join us to lend your voice, contribute your expertise, and help set the direction for Arizona’s CTE leadership community in the year ahead.

This session will present practical tools and strategies used by two districts to transform raw CTE data into compelling visualizations and insights. Learn how to share data effectively with teachers, administrators, and stakeholders to fuel data-driven decision-making. We will share common CTE data hurdles, successful analysis strategies, visualizations created (including a program data sheet). Walk away with immediately applicable ideas for harnessing your own CTE data. Examples from a suburban district and a rural district will be shared with tools any CTE Leader can use to replicate the process.

This session is for CTE Directors and Teachers who would like to learn about ADE Program Monitoring requirements for WBL Documentation. The session will include a quick Program Monitoring review, location of WBL Resources, and documentation recommendations for specific monitoring indicators. We will discuss what this documentation can look like at our varying school settings across the state. This session will also review the information given at ACOVA but will have the most recent updates.

Vast numbers of studies show that employers seek foundational workplace skills over job-specific skills. This session explores the National Work Readiness Credentials, focusing on validating Academic Skills (work ready reading, math, and data analysis), Soft Skills (communication, teamwork, adaptability), and Digital Skills (digital literacy, technology proficiency). These components form a vital framework equipping students with the skills essential for navigating complex work environments, enhancing productivity, and meeting the demands of modern workplaces. Implementation discussion will provide insight into how these skills can be effectively integrated into career technical education programs, workforce alignment, workplace skill development initiatives and general career literacy.

Mining industry leaders predict over half of all currently employed mining engineers in the United States are going to retire by 2030, creating a need for over 3,500 new engineers in this vitally important field. At the same time, there are only a little more than 400 students enrolled in the country's 14 mining engineering undergraduate programs. This session serves as an introduction to the little known discipline of mining engineering and presents possible routes to explore careers in the mining industry through AZ CTE's engineering advocacy. Participants will not only learn about the different roles possible with a mining engineering degree, they will also engage in simulations of activities similar to some of those performed by engineers working the mining industry using both digital and physical models.

This session will help new CTEA understand and manage their funding sources and how to proactively plan for future funding.

Step into a highly interactive unconference where Arizona’s CTE professionals bring the real challenges sitting on their desks today—and solve them together. No long lectures. No preset agenda. Participants surface their most pressing issues, self-select into solution groups, and tap the collective expertise of peers who face the same realities. Whether it’s enrollment, industry partnerships, program quality, staffing, data, or daily operational hurdles, this is collaborative problem-solving at its best. You’ll leave with practical strategies, new connections, and the reminder that in Arizona CTE, the answer is in the room.

NCCER (National Center for Construction Education and Research), in partnership with Pearson, offers Industry Recognized Credentials to CTE students through accreditation, instructor certification, standardized curricula, and career resources. NCCER Industry-Recognized Credentials equip students with the credentials they need to succeed. This session dives into the NCCER curriculum available for CTE programs while also hearing directly from industries partners on why they look to hire students with NCCER credentials. High schools, vocational schools, and technical community colleges all play a crucial role in building successful career pathways and creating talent pipelines for the industry. NCCER has been providing quality education programs and credentials to high schools for over 25 years. Our print and digital solutions, developed with subject matter experts, include pre-built turnkey courses with automatically graded assignments, videos, online activities, and testing that connects with our credential engine to provide students with transcripts and digital credentials.

ACOVA’s Mini M&M is designed exclusively for new Career & Technical Education administrators seeking the knowledge, tools, and confidence needed to thrive in their roles. This interactive session provides an invaluable opportunity to learn foundational and timely information essential for success in CTE leadership. Participants will engage in a dynamic mix of round-table conversations and panel discussions led by experienced, highly respected CTE administrators from across the state. These seasoned experts will share practical strategies, real-world insights, and lessons learned—offering support that is both relevant and immediately applicable. Whether you are navigating compliance, strengthening programs, supporting instructors, or building industry partnerships, Mini M&M offers a welcoming space to ask questions, gain clarity, and build connections within the Arizona CTE community. Join us to accelerate your learning, expand your network, and start your leadership journey with confidence.

How do we spark early interest in CTE pathways before students reach high school, especially in rural communities where access can be limited? The Arizona Business & Education Coalition (ABEC) and Mountain Institute CTED, together with countywide partners, are working to answer that question through the Yavapai County Future Ready Council. This collaborative effort is creating a unified model that connects middle-school career exploration with high-school CTE programs and the county’s key economic drivers, in an effort to ensure that ALL students have clear, relevant, and attainable pathways to pursue. In this session, we’ll share practical strategies, lessons learned, and actionable approaches for strengthening the bridge between middle and high school and beyond. Participants will explore how aligned efforts can ignite student interest, build academic and career readiness, and help students confidently navigate their next steps toward postsecondary education, training, and meaningful careers.

This session is designed for directors and teachers new to the Technical Skills Assessment. With every problem there is a systematic approach to determine why something doesn’t work as expected and how to resolve the problem. The TSA Troubleshooting Guide offers a jumpstart to help you with common TSA issues. This guide addresses how teachers acquire access to the TSA dashboard and utilize its features to register students for the TSA, access the test roster to monitor student progress during testing, request that students retake the test using the new updated Change Request feature, and access, interpret, and use the data from the TSA reports. We have a guide with your name on it, we will review the contents with you, and we will answer all your questions. Join the TSA Technical Standards and Assessment team: Judy Balogh, Team Lead; Hannah Higgs, Program Specialist; Melissa Stinson-Borg, Program Specialist; and Terri Ziegler, Program Specialist

CTE instruction improves standardized math and ACT scores by making math relevant through problem-based learning, teaching students to think critically, and using tools like estimation, modeling, and fostering collaboration. Math concepts are embedded within real-world CTE scenarios, making them more relevant and easier for students to understand and retain. Applying the AZ CTE Professional Skills framework to integrate these strategies by designing relevant thinking activities, assessing understanding through diverse methods, and developing individualized student goals to enhance performance.

Learn how to build a strategic partnership framework that boosts industry involvement in the classroom, strengthens ROI for partners, and elevates your overall engagement process. Perfect for anyone new to partnerships or ready to level up their existing strategy.

Discover how high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs open doors to a wide range of postsecondary opportunities. This session explores the seamless transitions from high school CTE pathways to career training and certificate programs, local community college degrees, university bachelor’s (and even post-baccalaureate options), and the College Board’s AP Kickstart program. Learn how these aligned pathways prepare students for high-demand careers while earning valuable credentials and college credit—empowering every learner to build a clear, achievable plan for success beyond graduation.

Our session will showcase a practical, scalable approach to preparing and energizing students for future careers. This fun and hands-on learning includes peer mentorship and community engagement. The program started by the Arizona Educational Foundation allows us to immerse our teens in dynamic science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) labs that encourage curiosity, deeper thinking and greater understanding of scientific principles.                                                                                                                     Once high school students build foundational skills, they transition into mentor and leadership roles - teaching and aiding younger learners through school and community outreach. This mentorship deepens the understanding for all ages, and it fosters confidence. Through participation, students have connected to local business and industry, and they have applied their problem-solving and innovation skills to authentic challenges. These experiences have exposed students to real-world career pathways, promoted workforce readiness and strengthened career preparation. Attendees will gain practical tools to implement this model in their own rural schools through CTE programs, including examples of engaging STEM labs, mentorship structures and strategies for building meaningful experiences for all learners. The session will highlight success stories and student outcomes that demonstrate the transformative power of student-led STEM teaching and learning.

Join "Lead From Where You Are: Recognizing and Building on the Leadership You Already Embody," a focused session for teachers, directors, and counselors who want to reflect and enhance their leadership skills. Through collaborative activities — sticky-note affinity grouping, Leadership Web mapping, and the Leadership Compass self-assessment — participants will identify strengths, uncover growth opportunities, and develop actionable strategies to empower colleagues and students. Ideal for classroom teachers and school leaders committed to fostering distributed leadership.

Join an energized working session where participants come together to form a special committee that will help design the future of the annual CTE Summer Conference. Through collaborative discussion and quick-fire analysis, attendees will examine critical elements of the event—ideal dates, number of days, key experiences, and what today’s educators most need from a statewide conference. This is your chance to influence the direction, structure, and impact of one of Arizona’s flagship CTE gatherings. Your insight matters, and your voice will help shape what comes next.