CTE Works! Summit

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Nov. 19-20, 2024 | Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West Hotel, Plymouth, MN

The CTE Summit is Minnesota's largest conference convening career and technical education educators, leaders, community partners, workforce, and business and industry in K-12 and higher education. We bring together practitioners to share impactful strategies to close the equity gaps for career and technical education learners.

The Summit is broad in scope to be inclusive of all the partners in career and technical education that support the Minnesota Perkins V State Plan goals and key focus areas (see below). Concurrent session themes may include: college preparedness, career readiness, employer engagement, workforce development, legislation, policy, accountability, partnerships, and teaching and learning strategies.

Minnesota Perkins V State Plan key focus areas:

  • Aligning career and technical education and workforce development activities with the education and skill needs of Minnesota.
  • Expanding access to quality career and technical education leading to highwage, high-skill, and in-demand careers.
  • Implementing career and technical education Programs of Study. See the definition of a Program of Study in Minnesota.
  • Improving career and technical education for non-traditional training and employment, recruiting special population learners into CTE programs, and individuals in State institutions (e.g. correctional institutions, juvenile justice facilities, and institutions that serve individuals with disabilities).
    • We have persistent gaps in nontraditional gender program enrollment in postsecondary programs: Architecture and Construction, Education and Training, Health Science, Human Services, Manufacturing, and Transportation, Distribution and Logistics. Exploring best practices to recruit and support nontraditional gender students in these programs may improve enrollment rates overall.
    • As a whole, students in all special populations are less likely to complete their programs. Strategies designed to improve completion rates for special populations or students of color will be prioritized at the Summit.
    • Supporting English Learners in CTE programs. Exploring best practices to effectively assist English Learners in the job search and/or continuing education process may inform strategies designed to improve placement rates.
  • Recruiting, preparing, and retaining career and technical education professionals. This includes secondary CTE teachers and college CTE faculty.

 

Pricing

General Registration

People attending the conference only.

 General Registration

$125

 

Presenters and Co-presenters

Do not register until after your application has been accepted.

Presenters are offered a discounted registration fee upon acceptance of an approved proposal. If you have a high school or undergraduate college student that is a co-presenter, the registration fee will be waived.

$75

 

 

 

Exhibitors

Do not register until after your application has been accepted.

$180

 

Exhibitor Nonprofit Status

Do not register until after your application has been accepted.

A copy of your nonprofit status needs to be included in your exhibitor application to be considered.

$25

 

 

Proposals are now being accepted for the 2024 CTE Summit.

Successful proposals strive to: 

  • Address current issues and trends impacting career and technical education, specifically the key focus areas in the Minnesota Perkins V State Plan.
  • Be bold. Bold is courageous, able to take risks, and confident. 
  • Expand people’s thinking—what hasn’t this audience heard or considered?
  • Be practical and actionable. What can I implement right now?

Additional Call for Proposal Details

  • You may submit up to two (2) proposals.
  • Concurrent sessions are 50 minutes.
  • If your proposal is academic and research based, please include citations of previous scholarly work in your submission.
  • If accepted, you will be assigned a time slot at the discretion of the conference organizers.
  • If your proposal is accepted, all presenters/co-presenters must register for the Summit and pay a discounted registration fee ($75) per person. This fee includes panelists.
  • If a panelist is a high school or undergraduate college student, the presenter registration fee ($75) will be waived.
  • All presenters, including student presenters, must pay for their own travel and lodging costs and other incidental expenses.
  • We are looking for presentations that are inclusive and diverse. Note that diversity is defined and measured in many ways, including but not limited to gender and gender identity, geographic location, socio-economic background, perspective, age, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.

Evaluation Criteria 

See a detailed description of the rubric and evaluation criteria.

  1. The quality of the abstract and description.
  2. Innovation – the potential to introduce new, bold, or innovative ideas, or solutions.
  3. Inclusive and diverse perspectives or approaches.
  4. Learning outcomes are clearly articulated.
  5. Relevance to career and technical education.

Priority will be given to proposals that support and align with the Minnesota Perkins V State Plan focus areas.

Deadlines and Important Dates

  • Submission deadline is Friday, August 9, 2024.
  • Acceptance notifications will be sent by Friday, August 23, 2024.

Download a printer-friendly PDF version of the Call for Proposal announcement.

Submit a proposal

Exhibitor applications are now being accepted for the 2024 CTE Summit.

Exhibitor Package $180

  • One standard exhibitor table with two chairs.
  • One power strip for laptops and table displays.
  • One mobile lab/trailer parking spot (outdoor space) next to the exhibit hall.
  • Admission for no more than two people. Hotel space is very limited.
  • Meals and refreshments provided as part of the conference.

Applications should demonstrate the following:

  • Relevance: Exhibitors should offer products, services, or resources that are directly relevant to career and technical education that support student learning and engagement.
  • Target audience: The resources should address the needs and interests of the conference attendees, which may include educators, administrators, students, or industry professionals.
  • Innovation: Exhibitors showcasing innovative technologies and equipment, teaching and learning methods, or educational resources that can enhance the learning experience will be given priority.
  • Quality: Exhibitors should demonstrate a commitment to providing high-quality products, services, or resources that meet industry standards and best practices.
  • Interactivity: Exhibitors who offer interactive demonstrations, hands-on experiences, or engaging presentations that allow attendees to explore their offerings will be prioritized.
  • Educational value: Exhibitors should contribute to the overall educational value of the conference by providing informative materials and demonstrations that enhance attendees' knowledge and skills.

Deadlines and Important Dates

  • Applications opens Friday, May 10, 2024.
  • Application deadline is Friday, September 30, 2024.
  • Applications to exhibit are accepted on a rolling basis.
  • Exhibitors will be notified within 2-3 weeks if their application has been accepted.

Apply to be an exhibitor

Download a printer-friendly PDF version of the Exhibitor Application announcement.

Exhibitor Application

For questions about your exhibitor application and status, contact Robb Lowe, Career Pathways Director, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities at Robb.Lowe@minnstate.edu or (651) 201-1451.

For all other questions about the CTE Works! Summit, contact Yingfah Thao, Director of Professional Development for Career and Technical Education, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities at Yingfah.Thao@minnstate.edu or (651) 201-1681.

 

 

Keynote speakers will be added here soon. Please check back.

Who should attend?

This conference is open to educators and everyone serving students in career and technical education in secondary or higher education institutions, building business and industry partnerships to help students connect their educational and career aspirations, developing a strong workforce through education and career pathway partnerships, and preparing learners to enter high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand careers. You can expect to connect with the following audiences at the Summit:

  • Advising/Career Development
  • Adult Basic Education
  • Business/Industry or Employer
  • College faculty, administrators, and professional staff
  • Community Organizations
  • Corrections/Ex-Offender Transitions
  • Dual enrollment, PSEO, and Career Pathway partners
  • Secondary School teachers, administrators, and professional staff
  • Workforce Development partners

  • Workforce Development partners

     

 

Take a look at the types of sessions and offered in previous years.

2022 CTE Works! Summit Program

2021 CTE Works! Summit Program

2020 CTE Works! Summit Program

2019 CTE Works! Summit Program

 

Contact Us

For all questions about the annual statewide Career and Technical Education Summit, contact:

Yingfah Thao
Director of Professional Development
Career and Technical Education | Academic Affairs Division
yingfah.thao@minnstate.edu
(651) 201-1681

About the CTE Works! Summit

This annual Summit has continued to serve secondary and postsecondary CTE teachers and faculty, educators, administrators, workforce, community partners, and business/industry partners since 2009.

Our Partners

Our partners in this work include MDE, Northern Agricultural Minnesota State Center of Excellence known as AgCentric, Southern Agricultural Center of Excellence, Energy Center of Excellence, Engineering Center of Excellence, HealthForce Center of Excellence, IT Center of Excellence, Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence, Transportation Center of Excellence, Minnesota ACTE (a local professional organization representing all facets of CTE under the national ACTE professional organization.

It has continued to grow over the years into the premier conference connecting the career and technical education community in the Upper Midwest. Participants and presenters alike come from high school, colleges and universities, workforce, local business and industry partners, and our local communities to convene once a year to share best practices in their field, network, and continue to develop their professional development in order to best serve CTE students across the state.

The CTE Works! Summit and any contents of this website and related materials were developed under the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 1st Century Act (Perkins V) federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education.