Unlocking the Future of Career & Technical Education
How can a national convening spark bold, collective action for the future of CTE?
Client: Advance CTE
Services:
Focus Areas:
Reimagining the Role of a National Summit
Kinetic West partnered with Advance CTE to design and facilitate the Unlocking CTE Summit, convening more than 200 leaders from across the nation in New Orleans in October 2025. The three-day event broke from the traditional conference model, transforming into a highly participatory, co-designed experience that generated bold ideas and a shared vision for the future of Career and Technical Education.
Advance CTE sought to reimagine how its flagship convening could move beyond information-sharing to catalyze real change. Rather than another “sit-and-get” conference, they envisioned a generative, action-oriented experience that maximized creativity and collaboration among state and national CTE leaders, educators, and employers. Their goal: to build collective insight that would inform the next five-year national vision for CTE—one responsive to the evolving economy, the rise of AI, and the growing demand for hands-on, work-based learning.
As one participant reflected, “We’re still applying 20th-century solutions to future problems. What I appreciated about this summit is that it forced us to think 25 years ahead—to really imagine new ideas instead of being stuck in old norms.”
Designing for Engagement, Creativity, and Connection
Kinetic West worked with Advance CTE and a Summit Design Committee to shape a three-day experience built around collaboration and imagination. Every element—from the flow of sessions to the physical layout—was designed to spark participation and co-creation.
Co-designing with partners: Together with Advance CTE and co-conveners,
we identified objectives, guiding questions, and interactive formats that encouraged shared ownership.
Reinventing facilitation: Traditional panels gave way to hands-on exercises—imagined personas and “day-in-the-life” journeys of future learners and employers, gallery walks to explore data, and a “Future Studio” envisioning
CTE in 2050. One participant noted, “Thinking of a persona and working through it from a student’s perspective helped us stay grounded in who this
is all for.”
Making every voice count: Live polling, cross-role discussions, and video storytelling created space for diverse experiences. Participants appreciated that “educators, employers, and policymakers were all engaging at the same level—regardless of title—to imagine the same future.”
Using creative metaphors: Techniques like “Then, Now, Next” time travel and collaborative “tapestry reflections” brought the work to life. As one attendee put it, “The stuff that usually happens in the hallway—the real conversations—was happening on the floor.”
What Happens When Everyone’s Fully Engaged
National Collaboration
More than 200 CTE professionals from 44 states joined in a shared design process for the future of CTE.
Bold Vision Framework
Collective ideas and prototypes formed the foundation for Advance
CTE’s upcoming five-year strategic vision.
Transformative Learning Design
Participants reported unusually high engagement and deep connection
across roles.
Momentum for the Field
The Summit renewed energy across the national CTE movement and reaffirmed Advance CTE’s leadership in shaping the next era of WBL and educational innovation.
“Usually, people are on their laptops. Here, I didn’t even open mine–I didn’t want to miss anything.”
“This is the first summit I’ve been to that’s consistently engaging – conversation, collaboration, moving around. It’s a model for future CTE convenings.””
How We Convene Shapes What We Create
The Unlocking CTE Summit reinforced a central belief: How we convene matters as much as what we convene about.
Participants described the experience as “a rare chance to dream—to think beyond policy and chart our own future.”
By centering creativity, inclusion, and active facilitation, Kinetic West helped leaders generate the kind of bold thinking that can drive real systems change.
As one state leader summarized, “It’s about thinking outside the box—because that’s the only way CTE can succeed.”
What’s Next
Advance CTE will translate the outcomes of the Unlocking CTE Summit into its next national vision for Career and Technical Education, guiding priorities for the field through 2030.
Need help designing dynamic, cross-sector convenings?
Let’s collaborate. Contact avery@kineticwest.com to explore how Kinetic West can help you create meaningful, high-impact engagement experiences.