2025 ISBE Career Connections Conference

Engaging businesses in work-based learning requires more than just offering internship opportunities—it demands a partnership that respects the realities of running a business. Schools often focus on educational outcomes, while businesses prioritize profitability and workflow. How can these two worlds align to create sustainable, meaningful partnerships?

Enter the Give Me TEN programs, a business-first approach to work-based learning. This innovative model flips the script, allowing businesses to dictate what they can realistically offer based on their job flow and profitability, while still providing students with valuable real-world experiences. By prioritizing business needs, the program ensures partnerships are practical, productive, and long-lasting.

Join us to explore how educators and administrators can simplify school-business relationships, engage local industries, and create work-based learning programs that truly work for everyone. Leave with actionable strategies to implement this forward-thinking approach in your own community.

There is a clear link between CTE and SEL.  The hands-on, active, and “authentic” nature of CTE coursework helps address the social emotional challenges our students face.  Research tells us we retain more learning, relieve stress, and transfer more knowledge over time when CTE incorporates selected SEL routines and activities in our courses.

Discover the transformative intersection of timeless educational philosophy and cutting-edge artificial intelligence in this provocative session designed for forward-thinking educators and instructional designers.
Join us as we explore how the foundational principles of educational pedagogical practices can be reimagined and amplified through emerging AI technologies. This session will challenge you to:
Critically examine the evolving landscape of educational technology
Understand the potential and limitations of AI in instructional design
Develop strategies that blend traditional pedagogical wisdom with innovative digital tools
Bring your insights, skepticism, and imagination. Together, we'll navigate the complex terrain where time-honored educational principles meet the potential of artificial intelligence.
This is not just a session about technology—it's a conversation about the future of learning itself. Note - this session is focused on law and public safety CTE programs, but other CTE pathways are welcome to attend.

Interested in starting a School Based Enterprise? This session will teach you everything you need to know, start to finish, to begin the operation of an apparel decorating business within your school. Learn about the necessary equipment, vendors, managing the classroom, common problems and their solutions, and more! Content can be used to teach a full year course or can be implemented into a club like FBLA, DECA, FCCLA, etc. Tricia Campbell has implemented this course at two schools and has taught over 400 other educators across the US how to do so in their schools.

This workshop explores the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the future of work and equips CTE educators with the knowledge and tools to prepare students for AI-driven careers. Participants will gain an understanding of the current state of AI, future trends, and the evolving career landscape. The session will delve into practical applications of AI in various CTE fields, offering concrete examples and demonstrations of how teachers can integrate AI concepts and tools into their curriculum and daily instruction.

Unleash the potential of Career and Technical Education (CTE) by integrating mathematics into your programs. This session will explore the natural alignment between math and CTE disciplines, highlighting how these connections can deepen student understanding and foster real-world applications. Participants will gain practical strategies and implementation tools to incorporate math seamlessly into CTE instruction, making it both accessible and meaningful for students. With a focus on actionable takeaways, this session will provide real examples you can bring directly to your classroom, helping students see the relevance of math in their career pathways. Whether you’re looking to strengthen math integration in your existing curriculum or searching for new ideas, this session offers the support, inspiration, and resources needed to make it happen. Prepare to transform your approach to teaching and empower your students to connect math concepts to their future success! "

Pathways in the Law and Public Safety (LPS) areas are growing and changing! This session is for administrators and instructors in these pathways. The new national legal studies pathway will be introduced. Updates on fire, emergency medical services and public safety pathways will be provided. New resources in law enforcement pathways will be covered including the new investigation and forensics courses. The new tech such as the addition of drones to LPS as well as simulators will also be addressed.

Illinois has been implementing multiple initiatives to reduce the need for developmental (remedial) courses and increase completion including the DERA legislation and the PWR Act. Both impact technical math positively when utilized as intended. This session will focus on how math pathways and corequisite support can be implemented at community colleges to increase student outcomes and experiences in technical math courses. Attendees will learn about colleges using these practices and the impacts.

Equipping youth with the skills and knowledge needed to make a great first impression is the initial step in helping youth ace their first interview. Join 4-H Youth Development Educators, Martha Ebbesmeyer and Kelly Lafferty, for an active workshop experience and explore activities designed to help build your student’s confidence while preparing for an apprenticeship application or a summer job interview. Help youth showcase their skills effectively through preparation and practice with simple, ready-to-use resources.
Participants will also gain knowledge about free workforce development programs available statewide from University of Illinois 4-H Extension staff. By the end of the session, attendees will be equipped with practical tools and ideas to enhance their classroom lessons.

The NIU Illinois CTE Project, in collaboration with ISBE, will present three new resources for educators that provide clarity on how to deliver high-quality Team-Based Challenges. Presenters will share information and review the Team-Based Challenges Library, the Companion Guides, and the Authentic Task vs. Authentic Question resources.

Discover practical strategies to help teen girls develop their leader identity and reach their full potential. This session equips educators with tools to guide students in recognizing their strengths, building confidence, and embracing leadership roles while exploring career pathways. Participants will explore research-based techniques to foster a growth mindset, promote self-advocacy, and encourage meaningful goal-setting.
Through interactive discussions and real-world examples, attendees will explore toolkits and resources that inspire young women to lead with purpose and resilience. This session offers actionable insights to empower the next generation of female leaders. Join us to uncover the path to peak performance while helping students develop their career pathways and thrive in leadership and beyond.

In order to truly serve all students, CTE programs must be inclusive, accessible, and equitable. This session will explore strategies for creating adaptable CTE programs that meet the diverse needs of every learner, including those with varying abilities, backgrounds, and learning styles.Participants will learn how to implement inclusive practices, such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL), differentiated instruction, and culturally relevant pedagogy. We will discuss how to engage nontraditional learners, support students with disabilities, and foster diversity in CTE offerings. Through practical tools and success stories, attendees will gain insights into making CTE programs more inclusive, helping students achieve success and prepare for high-demand careers.

This session will explore successful models for collaboration between community colleges and high schools, with a focus on the Northeast Consortium for College and Career Success (NECSS) and the Power of 15 program at Harper College. Attendees will gain insights into effective partnership frameworks, dual credit initiatives, career academies, and collaborative curriculum development strategies that bridge secondary and postsecondary education.