Webinar: Across industries, but especially in cybersecurity, the capabilities of AI stretch the imagination as to what it can do today and in the future. Should we run in fear of AI—or do we embrace it as a powerful new tool? How can we rein in AI to better serve our purposes? In this session, we will explore how AI works, how it can be effectively taught and responsibly used by high school students, and its applications in the field of cybersecurity with Mark Ciampa and Jill West

Enhancing Cybersecurity: Harness the Potential of AI to Defend Against Cyber Threats

Across industries, but especially in cybersecurity, the capabilities of AI stretch the imagination as to what it can do today and in the future. Should we run in fear of AI—or do we embrace it as a powerful new tool? How can we rein in AI to better serve our purposes? In this session, we will explore how AI works, how it can be effectively taught and responsibly used by high school students, and its applications in the field of cybersecurity.

In the Blink of an AI – Time to Shift our CTE Assessments_Corinne-Hoisington

In the Blink of an AI – Time to Shift our CTE Assessments

Thanks to ChatGPT, educators need new methods of assessment that are NON-TEXT in nature. It is highly necessary to create assessment methods that require students to produce authentic, novel, and personalized responses, which can help educators stay ahead of the uncertainty and workload that AI writers create. In this presentation, you will see tons of examples of new ways to assess that are not text-based!

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CTE Career Journeys – Sales Specialist

CTE Career Journeys – Sales Specialist

Antonette Adams

Sr. Product Marketing Manager • Career and Technical Education • National Geographic Learning | Cengage

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Career Journeys series is aimed to shed light on current career trends as they align to student career clusters. In this series installation, we have interviewed Aimee Steele, Assistance General Counsel in the law, public safety, corrections and security career cluster. Aimee shares with us the career journey that lead her to her current role with Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District. Aimee dives into what motivated her to pursue this career, milestones that lead to where she’s at today, how she stands out in her field and advice for others looking to pursue this career. This series also offers career outlook data collected from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Interview information

Name: Ian Leonard

Title: Sales Specialist

Career Cluster: Marketing

Company: National Geographic Learning | Cengage

Additional Career Highlight Information

Career Outlook: About 1.8 million openings are projected each year, on average.

Median Salary: $62,400 per year + commissions in some instances

Education Needed: High school diploma or equivalent

*All career outlook data is collected from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ian Leonard, Sales Specialist

Question and Answer with Ian Leonard

Q: What motivated or inspired you to pursue your particular role or career path?

A: I have this memory of meeting with the guidance counselor as a high school junior. Super nice person, but she point-blank asked me: “So, what field of study do you want to enter in college?” Not having a clue, I hastily mentioned dentistry. (If asked, my chemistry teachers would’ve more than disagreed with my choice.) In that moment, I assumed my career path had to be determined – and fast. In truth, my career path has taken different directions over the years – just like it has for many others.

Part of what’s led me to my current role is knowing where I can contribute most. Knowing how you can best contribute – to an organization, a community, or team – can lead to a more fulfilling career.

Q: What were the key milestones or turning points in your career or life that led you to where you are today?

A: In high school I used to give tennis lessons and coach at local clinics – absolutely loved it. A fellow coach asked if I’d ever considered going into teaching. (Truthfully, I was just looking forward to graduating and starting college, so…no.) The teaching itch made a comeback during college which led to teaching and coaching positions in my first two career stops. Teaching wasn’t anywhere in the original career plan – until an outside perspective got me thinking. Looking back, I’m glad I listened to ‘em!

Q: What strategies did you employ to stand out in your field and differentiate yourself from others?

A: There’s a belief among some educators that their skill sets won’t translate into other fields – relatively set schedules, curricula, school policies, etc. specifically designed for education. This mindset can apply to other professions, too. In truth, there are plenty of connections to other fields. An example – I was asked during an interview if I had sales experience. I responded: “I’ve been selling education for years – to students who don’t always want it. In sales, adults just tell you ‘No, thanks!”’

Ultimately, the teaching background gave me confidence to better connect with educators while working in a business environment. Plus, having professional connections to the classroom is something we embrace here at Cengage in serving our schools. It was a good lesson in that there are plenty of transferable skills among the professions.

Q: Looking back, is there anything you would do differently in your career journey or advice you’d offer individuals in or considering your field?

A: It’s normal to retrace your steps and wonder if you’ve taken a different route somewhere along the way. Starting college, I was determined to enter the business field – even start a business. Instead, a few courses in the education department took me ‘off course’ and changed my plans completely. In the end, going off-script turned out to be just as fulfilling and rewarding. Learning isn’t ‘one size fits all’ and neither is the career journey.

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CTE Career Journeys – Registered Nurse

CTE Career Journeys – Registered Nurse

Antonette Adams

Sr. Product Marketing Manager • Career and Technical Education • National Geographic Learning | Cengage

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Career Journeys series is aimed to shed light on current career trends as they align to student career clusters. In this series installation, we have interviewed Chris Orr, a High School Principal in the Education & Training career cluster. Chris shares with us the career journey that lead her to his current role with Capital Christian High School. Chris dives what motivated him to pursue this career, milestones that lead to where he’s at today, how she stands out in her field and advice for others looking to pursue this career. This series also offers career outlook data collected from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Interview information

Name: Chaelyn Tani

Title: Registered Nurse

Career Cluster: Health Sciences

Company: Queens Medical Center

Additional Career Highlight Information

Career Outlook: 6% increase (faster than average)

Median Salary: $81,220 per year

Education Needed: Bachelor’s degree

*All career outlook data is collected from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Chaelyn Tani

Question and Answer with Chaelyn Tani

Q: What motivated or inspired you to pursue your particular role or career path?

A: I have wanted to pursue a nursing career since middle school after completing a cliche “what do you want to be when you grow up” assignment. During my first year in high school, my grandma pushed me to start volunteering at my local nursing home. I talked to the nurses about their careers there, which helped solidify my desire to pursue a nursing degree after high school.

Chaelyn Tani, Registered Nurse
Q: What were the key milestones or turning points in your career or life that led you to where you are today?

A: My grandma got sick and passed away in 2006 from pancreatic cancer. I remember going with her to chemo appointments at Kaiser and decided I wanted to be an oncology nurse. I wanted to be someone who took care of others with as much love and compassion as those nurses showed my grandma and our family.

Q: What strategies did you employ to stand out in your field and differentiate yourself from others?

A: To stand out in nursing, obtaining a specialized certificate helps. I was able to obtain my oncology-certified nurse designation. Continuing education also helps to keep you the most up-to-date in healthcare, which is always evolving.

Q: Looking back, is there anything you would do differently in your career journey or advice you’d offer individuals in or considering your field?

A: My advice to future nurses is to make sure that nursing is your passion and not just a job. It can be a very thankless and emotionally draining job, and if you are not pursuing this career because you truly have a passion for it, you will find yourself burnt out. Also, remember there are so many avenues to nursing; if one place doesn’t suit you, find another that will.

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Inform. Inspire. Educate. Re-imagining CTE for the 21st Century

Career and Technical Education (CTE) has a nearly 150-year track record of dynamic change and evolution. Despite its longevity and history, CTE is still a pillar of innovation, designed to equip learners with a blend of academic knowledge, practical skills, and real-world experiences. It also remains a leading approach to education that prepares individuals for the complex challenges and opportunities of the 21st-century workforce. Today, CTE is on a transformative journey to reshape itself into a model that not only prepares students for current job markets but instills a lifelong passion for learning and exploration…

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CTE Career Journeys – Journeyman Electrician

CTE Career Journeys – Journeyman Electrician

Antonette Adams

Sr. Product Marketing Manager • Career and Technical Education • National Geographic Learning | Cengage

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Career Journeys series is aimed to shed light on current career trends as they align to student career clusters. In this series installation, we have interviewed Jhon Cataño, Journeyman Electrician in the architecture & construction career cluster. Jhon shares with us the career journey that lead him to his current role with Nappa Electrical Contractors. Jhon dives into what motivated him to pursue this career, milestones that lead to where he’s at today, how he stands out in her field and advice for others looking to pursue this career. This series also offers career outlook data collected from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Interview information

Name: Jhon Cataño

Title: Journeyman Electrician

Career Cluster: Architecture & Construction

Company: Nappa Electrical Contractors

Additional Career Highlight Information

Career Outlook: Projected 6% increase from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations

Median Salary: $60,240 per year

Education Needed: High school diploma or equivalent

*All career outlook data is collected from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Jhon_Catano_Headshot
Jhon Catano first day of electrical school

Question and Answer with Jhon Cataño

Q: What motivated or inspired you to pursue your particular role or career path?

A: I grew up in Colombia on a farm and at an early age I was always working with my hands. I wanted to be a mechanical engineer because I had an uncle who worked for Nissan assembling cars and I always looked up to him because he had a good life.

When I was older I was working as a bartender but wanted a job with a more consistent schedule. I didn’t want to go to a four year university because it was too expensive and I wanted to start working in a new career quickly. I’ve always been curious about how things work and was interested to learn about how to troubleshoot complicated problems.

I enrolled in a tech school one year program, 4 days a week, 5.5 hours a day to graduate with a certificate in Practical Electricity. I did my schooling while continuing my bartending job. 4 months into my schooling I attended a job fair and was offered an apprentice position with a local electrical contracting company.

Q: What were the key milestones or turning points in your career or life that led you to where you are today?

A: When I was 14 my father passed away and I was the oldest son and I knew I needed to provide for my family. I was very focused on what would give us a good life and how I could get there quickly.

When I got to the United States and my family was ok back home, I started to focus on how I could make a better life for myself. I realized that in this country motivation and determination takes you very far.

Q: What strategies did you employ to stand out in your field and differentiate yourself from others?

A: Reliability is very important in my profession. I am always on time, I take pride in my work and I ask for opportunities to grow in different areas within my field.

Q: Looking back, is there anything you would do differently in your career journey or advice you’d offer individuals in or considering your field?

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CTE Career Journeys – Assistant General Counsel

CTE Career Journeys – Assistant General Counsel

Antonette Adams

Sr. Product Marketing Manager • Career and Technical Education • National Geographic Learning | Cengage

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Career Journeys series is aimed to shed light on current career trends as they align to student career clusters. In this series installation, we have interviewed Aimee Steele, Assistance General Counsel in the law, public safety, corrections and security career cluster. Aimee shares with us the career journey that lead her to her current role with Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District. Aimee dives into what motivated her to pursue this career, milestones that lead to where she’s at today, how she stands out in her field and advice for others looking to pursue this career. This series also offers career outlook data collected from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Interview information

Name: Aimee Steele

Title: Assistant General Counsel 

Career Cluster: Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security

Company: Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District

Additional Career Highlight Information

Career Outlook: Projected to have slightly more than 500,000 annual average openings from 2022 to 2032

Median Salary: $135,740 per year

Education Needed: Graduate-level occupations include those that typically require a master’s, doctoral, or professional degree

*All career outlook data is collected from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Aimee's Headshot

Question and Answer with Aimee Steele

Q: What motivated or inspired you to pursue your particular role or career path?

A: My interest in the civil rights movement as a child. Thurgood Marshall was my hero. I was interested and impressed with the way he and the NAACP used the law and legal strategy to challenge segregation in schools. The law is powerful and can be used for good change.

Q: What were the key milestones or turning points in your career or life that led you to where you are today?

A: I earned my Bachelor’s degree in 1999. I earned my juris doctorate in 2002. I passed the bar exam in 2002. I received various promotions throughout the last 21+ years, the most recent being my hiring with Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District as the Assistant General Counsel.

Q: What strategies did you employ to stand out in your field and differentiate yourself from others?

A: I do not believe I am the smartest, but I am always the best prepared. I work extremely hard because I truly care about what I do and the positive impact I can make on the employees in my agency.

Q: Looking back, is there anything you would do differently in your career journey or advice you’d offer individuals in or considering your field?

My advice to individuals who are considering the legal field: ensure you have a high reading retention rate. Ensure you are adept at multi tasking. Find the area of law that interests you, understanding that there is so much you can do with your law degree and license to practice.

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CTE Career Journeys – High School Principal

CTE Career Journeys – High School Principal

Antonette Adams

Sr. Product Marketing Manager • Career and Technical Education • National Geographic Learning | Cengage

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Career Journeys series is aimed to shed light on current career trends as they align to student career clusters. In this series installation, we have interviewed Chris Orr, a High School Principal in the Education & Training career cluster. Chris shares with us the career journey that lead her to his current role with Capital Christian High School. Chris dives what motivated him to pursue this career, milestones that lead to where he’s at today, how she stands out in her field and advice for others looking to pursue this career. This series also offers career outlook data collected from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Interview information

Name: Chris Orr

Title: High School Principal

Career Cluster: Education & Training

Company: Capital Christian High School

Additional Career Highlight Information

Career Outlook: 1% increase (little to no change)

Median Salary: $101,320 per year

Education Needed: Teaching experience and a master’s degree in education administration or leadership

*All career outlook data is collected from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Orr Pic

Question and Answer with Chris Orr

Q: What motivated or inspired you to pursue your particular role or career path?

A: I was fortunate enough to have family, educators, coaches, and a community who guided and inspired me to follow the path of academic excellence, moral values, civic responsibility, and discipline. I also recognized that every child in my community did not get the support and guidance that I did. I felt an urgent call to be to young people what many were for me.

Q: What were the key milestones or turning points in your career or life that led you to where you are today?

A: Following graduation from college, I did not have a clear path of what I wanted to do. Initially, I took a corporate job that provided a decent salary, got married, bought a house, and started a family. But something was missing. Even though my dad told me when I graduated college to look at education as a career, I didn’t take his advice right away – but he always knew. 

Outside of my professional and family life, I volunteered to coach, tutor, and mentor kids – that was my passion. As I began to surround myself with other educators, they began to influence and encourage me to pursue education as a career. I thought and prayed mightily in considering this move. At the time, I had a mortgage and a family depending on me. Any career decision had to be sound. I received some key advice and support during this time. One was from Mrs. Irene B. West – who was a legendary educator in our community who shared her pure joy in serving students and families daily. Another was from my Pastor who helped me see this was what I was being “called” to do – which was much bigger than just a job. And the final was from my wife. She believed in me and gave me the confidence that we would be able to make this move together. 

I resigned from my corporate job and started substitute teaching. Within a couple of months, I was offered a full time teaching position. Since then I have progressed into education programming, Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, and now a principal role. The decision I made over 20 years ago has been validated ten-fold. It was absolutely the best decision I’ve ever made.

Q: What strategies did you employ to stand out in your field and differentiate yourself from others?

A: My approach in education has never been about comparing myself to other educators. It has always purely been about serving students and families. I firmly believe that when your drive is to serve in a great way, opportunities and success will take care of itself.

Q: Looking back, is there anything you would do differently in your career journey or advice you’d offer individuals in or considering your field?

My only wish is I would’ve known my path right out of college and got started sooner. However, I do value my experiences because it makes me appreciate the outcome even more. I use my experience as a guide for students. I advise students heading into college to study something they love, because it will lead to a career that they love. It’s normal to look at careers that have big salaries, but your lifelong work is more than that. There is nothing better than making a living doing something you love to do.

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