It’s a tale as old as time. A manufacturer builds a factory in a small town. That town’s local high school becomes a reliable source of future workers, as generation after generation of family members pursue a career at the local factory where their family members have worked for years. But what happens when that
If you’re one of the thousands upon thousands of people who call the career and technical education (CTE) world home, then you already know that 2026 could be a make-or-break year for CTE and industry alike. The ongoing challenge of the skills gap means that there are more open positions than ever that need highly
Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, and now Generation Z…each of these generations has certain defining characteristics that broadly describe the people born into each specific time period. Which generation do you belong to? What stereotypes of your generation do you agree/disagree with? For example, Gen Z generally includes those people born between 1997 and 2009.
Manufacturing in the United States boasts a long history of innovation and success. Yet, over the last several decades, we’ve seen an increasing number of products produced overseas, as global competition heats up. There are many reasons for the trends we’ve noticed in manufacturing. As technology advances, other countries have been able to catch up
Have you noticed there’s a lot of uncertainty in the world these days? Are the worldwide tariffs on again or off again? Does the federal Department of Education still exist? If so, in what form and with what capacity does it operate? The answers to these questions drive the decisions being made by educational institutions
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the pace of technological change? For many adults, especially the older generations, it sometimes seems like there are several new technologies taking the world by storm for every one they’ve finally had time to master. Take artificial intelligence, for example. Does anyone else feel like AI was something that
Career and technical education (CTE) programs exist in nearly every high school in the United States. Despite their almost universal presence throughout the American secondary educational system, however, you’d be hard pressed to find two programs that are the same. Some programs focus on teaching basic technical skills that can be used in a wide
Have you sensed the transition that appears to be taking place across the country regarding how people view industrial jobs? For years, the path to life and career success has been firmly routed through four-year colleges. Recently, however, many have started to realize that a college degree is not only costly, but also not a
Instructor Profile: Scott Weiler Have you heard the news? American manufacturing is back! And when it comes to new high-tech manufacturing facilities, Arizona is the place to be. Here’s just a sample of the facilities in Arizona that are under construction or have been announced: Intel’s semiconductor plants in Chandler Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC)’s
What’s hotter than the temperatures currently scorching most of the United States? Quite appropriately, careers in heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) are hotter than ever. With heat wave after heat wave and temperatures setting new records year after year, the demand for qualified HVACR installers and technicians is greater than ever. Unfortunately, supply
Can you find a student today who doesn’t like technology? Modern technology shapes and, in many ways, defines our lives on a daily basis. It’s only natural that it would also have a profound impact on how students choose a future career path. Recent data shows that postsecondary enrollment is down overall, but luckily interest
Click HERE to view this article as a multimedia presentation. Whether you work in industry or a career and technical education (CTE) program, there’s a set of buzzwords you’ve probably heard frequently over the last couple of years. They include Industry 4.0, Fourth Industrial Revolution, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and Smart Factory, to
