When interviewing an experienced CTE teacher (Stacey Fry) and

CTE director (Chance Gower), I learned how they entered the field and
why they chose to be involved with CTE. Their paths into CTE were
very different than mine, with majors like Home Economics, but their
reasoning for becoming involved with CTE was actually very similar to
my own. My interviewees were both concerned with students doing
work-based learning with the goal of employment in mind. I share this
concern, wanting to help students gain practical skills that will make
them successful in the world.
More enlightening though, were the challenges that my
interviewees shared about their experiences in CTE. The teacher I
interviewed spoke to the difficulties that a lack of funding presents,
specifically in the world of CTE. She has often found it difficult to truly
meet her goal of providing a genuine and up-to-date environment to
teach practical skills. As she told me, In this school, having industry
equipment that kids would be able to learn on and see in the business
is a challenge. The director I spoke to has run into similar issues in his
time in CTE. The equipment for many CTE classes is constantly being
updated, he told me. Combined with the price of said equipment and
the amount necessary to meet individual student needs, this poses a
specific challenge to CTE directors and teachers alike.
However, the most useful information I gained from these
interviews was advice on how to keep CTE courses constantly fueled

and relevant, even in the face of challenges like funding for materials
and equipment. The teacher I spoke with told me to keep involved with
the community. As she told me, it will be important to put students in
contact with the community and have the community come to them.
This is one way to ensure that classes stay rooted in students lives
and change with the realistic needs of their communities and worlds.
The director had similar advice, requesting that I not only keep
updated on industry in my field, but also on the practical applications
of that industry in the ways that my students are likely to use it or
where they can make the most difference.