Overview
There’s a clear need for policymakers, college leaders, CTE faculty and other stakeholders, including employers, to respond to the growing threats posed by AI. Yet, a lack of understanding, resources, and a space for dialogue, collaboration, and experimentation hampers action. Ultimately, this inaction increases the possibility that today’s CTE will end up repeating its “dark history” of funneling disadvantaged students into low-wage, low-opportunity occupations. The current project aims to increase the capacities of community and technical colleges in Tennessee to reconceptualize and redesign CTE programs of study to prepare students for a workforce that will be impacted by new forms of AI. The project will combine rigorous, original empirical research with technical assistance, facilitated dialogue, and the development of a Networked Improvement Community (NIC) of Tennessee community college CTE stakeholders.
Key Objectives
The project will occur in two phases, over three years. During the first phase, the project team will conduct a landscape scan of the existing literature and interview community and technical college CTE leaders, experts in AI, and employers in Tennessee to identify the ways in which developments in AI have the potential to impact subbaccalaureate postsecondary CTE with a focus on student equity. During this phase, the project team will also perform a first-of-its-kind analysis of statewide student-level administrative data from Tennessee merged with newly developed measures of automation risk to provide practitioners and researchers with novel insight into the empirical relationship between special population indicators (sex/gender, race/ethnicity, income) and exposure to automation risk.
The aim of the project’s second phase will be to engage program- and systems-level CTE leaders in an action-oriented NIC grounded in a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) improvement cycle. Individuals participating in the NIC may include CTE instructors, CTE Deans, program Chairs and/or Chief Academic Officers from TBR colleges. At the end of the second phase, the project team will write a final report based on the observations and findings of the NIC PDSA process to share with system-level leaders in Tennessee. The project team will incorporate feedback from system-level leaders to develop a comprehensive Guidebook for Developing AI-Resilient and Equitable Community College CTE Programs for CTE leaders and policymakers across the nation to scale the best practices and approaches identified through this project.
Resources, Reports, and Impacts
Fostering AI-Ready Building & Moving CTE Pipelines:
Implications for Policy, Practice & Research
Partners and Stakeholders
The Tennessee Board of Regents
The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) is the largest higher education system in Tennessee, overseeing 40 post-secondary institutions, including 13 community colleges and 27 colleges of applied technology1. Established in 1972, TBR provides a wide range of educational programs and services to students across the state, focusing on technical and community education2. The board is composed of 19 members who set policies and guidelines for all TBR institutions, ensuring accessible and affordable education for Tennesseans.
Advance CTE
Advance CTE is the longest-standing national non-profit organization representing state leaders of Career Technical Education (CTE). Established in 1920, it supports state CTE leadership in advancing high-quality and equitable CTE policies, programs, and pathways that ensure career and college success for all learners1. By advocating for effective policies, providing professional development, and promoting inclusive career preparation ecosystems, Advance CTE plays a crucial role in shaping the future of workforce education across the United States.
ACTE
The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is the largest national education association in the United States dedicated to advancing education that prepares youth and adults for successful careers1. Established in 1926, ACTE represents thousands of career and technical education (CTE) professionals, providing them with resources, professional development, and advocacy to enhance CTE programs nationwide2. ACTE’s mission is to promote high-quality CTE that ensures all students are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed for the workforce3. Through its various initiatives, ACTE supports educators in creating impactful and inclusive learning environments.
FUNDING INFORMATION
This project is funded by the ECMC Foundation. The ECMC Foundation is a national organization dedicated to eliminating equity gaps in postsecondary education by 2040. Through strategic grantmaking and program-related investments, the Foundation supports both nonprofit and for-profit ventures aimed at removing barriers to postsecondary completion, building organizational capacity, and transforming the educational ecosystem. Their mission focuses on improving higher education and career success for underserved populations through evidence-based innovation.
