2025 SC Education + Business Summit

Whether students are preparing for careers in healthcare, business, manufacturing, IT, or any other CTE pathway, the ability to understand and relate to coworkers, clients, and customers is essential for teamwork, leadership, and customer service. By fostering empathy in the classroom. Integrating empathy-building activities into CTE instruction ensures that students graduate not only with technical proficiency, but also with the soft skills employers demand—making them more well-rounded, adaptable, and career-ready.
Kelli Lancaster has been involved with Career and Technology education for 35 years. She was a media broadcasting instructor for 21 years before taking the role of the Work-Based Learning Coordinator with the Anderson Districts 1 & 2 Career & Technology Center in Williamston, SC. Kelli implemented the soft skills curriculum into 22 programs while she was the coordinator at her center. She is also the recipient of the 2022 ACTE National Award for Counseling & Career Development.