ACTE's National Work-Based Learning Conference 2026

The future of CTE isn’t just about partnerships - it’s about shared ownership of learning. As industries evolve, education must shift from collaboration to co-creation. This session shows how employer-led training in education and healthcare can be mapped to skills frameworks and transformed into credit-bearing, stackable credentials that serve learner advancement and meet workforce needs. We’ll reimagine employers as co-educators and institutions as credentialing and quality-assurance leaders. We’ll also highlight how programs for these pathways can tap into sustainable funding sources for expansion and equity.


Attendees will leave with strategies to design co-owned learning pathways that improve job placement, retention, and equity. Tailored for CTE educators, administrators, and workforce personnel, this workshop includes a lecture on key concepts and case studies, a breakout for small-group discussion, and a Q&A to address challenges and share experiences. Participants will receive a handout with tools and resources to support future-ready CTE programming.