2026 WV ACTE Summer Conference

Rural middle schools play a critical role in helping students begin to see possibilities for their future. Yet many schools face challenges such as limited access to industry partners, transportation barriers, and fewer opportunities for career exposure. This session will explore why career exploration in the middle grades matters and how educators can expand students’ awareness of careers—even without leaving the classroom.


Participants will learn practical, low-cost strategies that rural schools can implement immediately, including virtual industry tours, career-focused project-based learning, and using real labor market data for career research. Attendees will leave with concrete ideas and resources to help rural students discover big opportunities beyond their small towns.

What does high-quality, career-connected business education look like in action? 
In this interactive session, participants will experience AP Business with Personal Finance firsthand through hands-on, project-based challenges modeled after real classroom experiences. Designed to align with the ACTE High-Quality CTE Framework, this course integrates entrepreneurship, financial literacy, employer-endorsed credentials, and CTSO-aligned learning to prepare students for both college credit and high-demand careers. 
Participants will explore how students develop decision-making skills using real-world case studies, apply the PACED model to personal and business financial decisions, and build an entrepreneurial venture through the AP Business Canvas project. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to expand access to rigorous business pathways, strengthen industry connections, and implement engaging, workforce-aligned programs that empower West Virginia students to own their futures. 

West Virginia CTE programs are uniquely positioned to prepare students for success in the 3 Es—Education, Employment, and Enlistment. Through practical strategies to intentionally connect instruction, industry collaboration, and student recognition to measurable readiness outcomes, this session explores how CTE educators can strategically leverage state initiatives to strengthen the 3 Es while aligning to ACTE’s High-Quality CTE standards for Business & Community Partnerships and Student Career Development. Participants will examine resources available to strengthen program quality, increase student opportunities, and elevate outcomes across all pathways. 

The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) is one of the most recognized credentialing systems in the skilled trades industry. Yet for many CTE educators, it remains an untapped opportunity. This fast-paced 15-minute session gives West Virginia CTE educators a clear, practical overview of what NCCER is, what it offers, and why it matters for student outcomes and workforce readiness. Attendees will leave with a foundational understanding of the NCCER ecosystem and actionable next steps.

This session aims to provide teachers with strategies to form effective networks and partnerships with business and industry leaders. These connections will help educators align classroom instruction with real-world workforce needs, offering students opportunities for internships, mentorships, and hands-on learning experiences. Teachers will explore ways to engage local businesses, foster community involvement, and build sustainable partnerships that enhance both teaching and workforce readiness.

Tosa is the only certification for digital skills that uses adaptive testing and it's transforming how we assess and prepare learners for real-world success. Included practice tests provide a clear picture of desktop, graphics, digital and/or coding skill sets, how students are progressing, and when they’re ready for certification. Then, ultimately, Tosa certifies learners with a proficiency-based result, providing deeper insight into digital competence beyond just a pass/fail outcome.

Across West Virginia, communities are facing a growing shortage of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals. To help address this challenge, BridgeValley Community & Technical College partnered with Clay County Schools to develop an innovative EMS career pathway that allows high school students to begin preparing for emergency services careers while still in school.


This session will showcase how the EMS Pathway Program at Clay County High School integrates career and technical education, dual enrollment, hands-on skills training, and simulation-based learning to introduce students to the EMS profession and create a direct pipeline into EMT and paramedic education.
Presenters will discuss how the program was developed through collaboration between secondary education, higher education, and local EMS agencies, and how the model can be adapted and implemented in other schools and communities across West Virginia.


Participants will learn how this pathway can be replicated or customized to fit the needs of their own schools, allowing districts to build sustainable healthcare workforce pipelines while giving students meaningful opportunities to enter high-demand careers.


Attendees will leave with practical ideas for starting or expanding similar programs, including strategies for partnerships, curriculum alignment, equipment needs, and student recruitment.

Discover how the combined power of Certiport industry certifications, eDynamic Learning’s interactive digital curriculum, and Pearson’s College & Career Readiness solutions create a unified ecosystem supporting hundreds of certification pathways across all 16 ACTE career clusters—from Agriculture and Architecture & Construction to Health Science, IT, Transportation, and beyond.
In this session, we’ll explore a portfolio of 197+ industry-recognized credentials, including AI, Adobe, Autodesk, CompTIA, ASE, NCCER, Intuit, Entrepreneurship, NCHSE, and more—demonstrating that there is a pathway for every student.
But credentials are only part of the story. Learn how to successfully implement and sustain these programs on your campus, starting in middle school and extending through a thoughtfully designed CTE pathway that leads to real postsecondary opportunities.
Our solutions support students in meeting state graduation requirements—including personal finance, career exploration, and workforce readiness—while simultaneously building toward industry certification. Spanning grades 5–12, our resources also include award-winning virtual internships that provide meaningful, real-world experiences.

In today’s rapidly evolving economy, aligning student readiness initiatives with actual workforce needs is a critical priority for CTE leaders. This session explores how districts and state agencies can bridge the gap between classroom planning and real-world follow-through by integrating digital readiness tools with existing school frameworks.


Drawing on lessons from successful statewide partnerships, we will discuss practical strategies for embedding college, career, and life readiness into the student experience.


This session specifically aligns with the ACTE High-Quality CTE Framework by addressing Standards-aligned and Integrated Curriculum, Prepared and Effective Program Staff, and Access and Equity. Participants will learn how to leverage evidence-based guidance to create a holistic, accessible pathway for all learners - from middle school career exploration to post-secondary transition.