2025 SC Education + Business Summit

Presentation Relevance to the CTE Field:
By introducing students to careers within their community at an early age, this initiative fosters exploration of the trades and ignites potential passions that may lead them to pursue CTE courses in high school. Additionally, strengthening relationships with local businesses and industries creates pathways for future work-based learning opportunities, including internships and apprenticeships.

Value to Participants:
Attendees will gain firsthand insights into the successes and challenges of building a program that serves students at multiple levels. This session could inspire new ideas and initiatives in their own communities, ultimately expanding career exploration and work-based learning opportunities for students.

Presenter Knowledge and Experience:
The presenter brings extensive hands-on experience in developing and expanding career-connected learning programs. Since stepping into this role in 2022, the paid internship program has grown from fewer than 30 interns per year to 143 students working with 83 industry partners across sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, and public service. In 2023, these relationships led to the launch of an 8th-grade tour program, ensuring every student in the district visits four organizations each semester to experience careers firsthand. In 2024, the initiative expanded further with "Career Time Tuesday," a monthly career exploration event for all 5th-grade students.

The vast majority of youth participating emerge from high school CTE programs - from over 17 schools all across the state. The program provides a springboard into the professional community that results in JOBS! and the commitment to further training and education in the chosen trade, in either an industry sponsored program, community college, or trade school. Participants will learn how to take advantage of this program for the benefit of their own students and communities. Charlie Plant has been placing youth in work place apprenticing experiences for almost 30 years, and has coordinated the Harbor Freight program for thousands of youth and hundreds of schools across the country for nine years now, including the last 8 here in South Carolina.

Perkins V is the primary federal funding for CTE programs. Perkins V requires all funding recipients to submit a CLNA with a focus on labor market demand. The twelve SC Workforce Regions submit their CLNA every two years.

The SC Technical College System OER Hub directly aligns with the Career and Technical Education (CTE) field by making educational resources more accessible and affordable for students. Open Educational Resources (OER) help reduce financial barriers, ensuring that CTE students have the materials they need to succeed in their coursework and workforce preparation. The initiative supports equitable access to high-quality learning and promotes innovation in teaching and training, which are essential to the evolving CTE landscape.

Attendees will gain insights into the development and impact of a statewide OER initiative and learn how they can leverage similar resources in their institutions. They will discover strategies for cost reduction, collaboration techniques for implementing large-scale academic initiatives, and best practices for enhancing student success through open access materials. This session will provide actionable takeaways for educators, administrators, and policymakers interested in improving affordability and accessibility in technical education.

Ron Stafford, Jessica Howington, and Justin Sherry bring a wealth of experience in academic initiatives, program management, and organizational leadership. Their expertise in collaborative project execution, compliance, and workforce development makes them well-suited to discuss the implementation and success of the OER Hub. Their leadership in this initiative demonstrates their deep understanding of both educational systems and strategic resource management, ensuring participants receive knowledgeable and practical guidance on adopting similar approaches.