ACTE's National Work-Based Learning Conference 2026

Let’s be honest……..when students hear “soft skills,” the eye rolling begins. This interactive session shows teachers how to make active listening, communication, teamwork, and empathy feel relevant, engaging, and fun. Using real classroom scenarios, role-play, and quick activities, educators will learn how to turn everyday moments into meaningful skill practice. The session focuses on what actually gets student buy-in. Teachers will leave with simple, ready-to-use strategies that build better listeners and collaborators without lectures or awkward lessons.

Preparing students for workforce success requires more than great instruction; it requires intentional alignment between curriculum, industry-recognized credentials, and the tools that help educators manage and measure work-based learning experiences.
In this session, discover how integrated systems can simplify credentialing, reduce barriers to participation, and provide actionable data that strengthens career pathways. Participants will explore practical strategies for aligning curriculum with industry expectations while leveraging program management tools that support compliance, credential attainment, and work-based learning documentation.

Executives are passionate about developing their people—just like you're passionate about developing your students. You both want hyper-engaging, high-impact learning experiences that build deep understanding and real skills. The difference used to be that corporations could afford them…and educators usually couldn’t. Those days are over. Ready or Not, the fast-paced business simulation played by more than 12,000 corporate leaders worldwide (with 99% of players recommending it to peers), is now a low-cost, easy-to-deliver classroom experience teachers are using to build the exact career skills employers are hiring for: communication, teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking, and decision-making.

Join a team, run a company, analyze the business, make high-stakes decisions, and compete to earn the most profit during our live demo.  You’ll meet new friends and definitely have fun.  And you’ll understand why early adopters at schools and colleges in Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah and Colorado are seeing exceptional results in their classrooms.    

This session will provide attendees with a strategic overview of the work Lincoln Technical Institute is doing to engage secondary career education students in credit yielding Early College programs that are aligned to high need Skilled Trades Careers. This session will be broadly applicable even for school leaders who work outside of the states where Lincoln Tech Operates campuses, as they will learn about Lincoln Techs specific approach and have opportunities to engage in planning and brainstorming related to their local MSA.

Work-Based Learning Coordinators face increasing pressure to expand meaningful career experiences while navigating limited internship placements, counselor overload, and growing graduation requirements. At the same time, many students commit to pathways without truly understanding the work involved.
This session explores a lifestyle-first approach to career readiness that blends career exploration, project-based learning, and micro-credentials to help students test careers before committing to them. Through short, industry-developed experiences that involve real-world tasks, learners can explore industries, practice in-demand skills, and build portfolio evidence to support work-based learning placements.
This model also expands equitable access to career exposure, especially for students who may not have access to in-person internships or employer networks. Students can explore emerging and non-traditional fields—from AI and machine learning to professional sports and esports—through authentic tasks connected to real careers.
Future Pro micro-credentials provide short (4–8 hour), industry-backed experiences where students practice skills and demonstrate mastery through performance-based projects.
Participants will leave with strategies to help students explore careers earlier, build skill evidence, and enter work-based learning experiences with greater clarity and confidence.

Stukent CTE provides access to world-class courseware, simulations, cert prep, and certifications. Business Content Areas: Business, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Finance, & Accounting Agriculture Content Areas: Intro to Ag, AgBiz, Plant Science, Animal Science, Ag Mechanics, & Floral Design Hospitality Content Areas: Principles of Hospitality and Tourism Management, &  Culinary Arts All CTE: Generative AI, Personal Finance, Career Readiness, & Public Speaking Courseware (Learn): Standards-based, interactive curriculum with full-year courses. The courses include lessons based on standards, video content from a group of young, diverse professionals, formative & summative assessments, projects, discussions, & exams (auto-graded). The platform also includes a bellringer video resource based on current events and case studies.Simternships (Simulate): Stukent CTE offers 15+ cutting-edge simulations, called Simternships, which give students hands-on learning, work-based experience, and robust application. Cert Prep (Practice): The platform also aligns with third-party Cert Prep offerings from Certiport and iCEV.Certifications (Certify): Stukent CTE offers 10+ Industry-Recognized Certifications that help teachers certify student understanding.
The Teacher Dashboard provides real-time measurement and monitoring tools, standards-based analytics, group management, tracking of student leader efficacy, and custom rubrics. The platform is fully integrated with Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology, and MS Teams.

A thriving Work-Based Learning (WBL) program depends on a strong network of local employers and meaningful opportunities for students. But building and sustaining that network can be challenging, especially when it’s one of many responsibilities on your plate. What could your WBL program achieve if you partnered more intentionally with neighboring districts and expanded your collective reach?

In this session, Xello and Susan Scott from Thompson School District share how inter-district collaboration can strengthen regional WBL ecosystems and expand opportunities for students, employers, and communities alike. By sharing resources, aligning goals, and coordinating outreach to local businesses and organizations, districts can work together to build a more connected and comprehensive approach to WBL.

Join us to explore practical strategies for collaborating across districts, strengthening employer partnerships, and creating a coordinated approach to expanding WBL opportunities throughout your region.