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.

This session will explore the growing demand for sports medicine and athletic training programs as an emerging Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program of Study. As schools look to expand relevant, high-interest pathways, sports medicine offers a unique opportunity to connect student-athletes and health-focused learners to real-world careers while supporting the overall health and safety of school communities.

Participants will examine strategies for increasing access to certified athletic trainers in schools and how these professionals can play a critical role in both student wellness and program development. The session will also highlight how building a strong sports medicine pathway can enhance school culture, improve injury prevention and response, and provide students with hands-on experiences aligned to healthcare careers.

Aligned to the Health Science Career Cluster, this session will provide actionable ideas for developing partnerships, integrating coursework, and creating sustainable programs that benefit both students and athletic programs. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how investing in sports medicine education can positively impact student outcomes, support athletes, and strengthen career readiness across their schools.

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.