Business and Industry Partnerships

Business and industry partnerships are essential to ensuring Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs reflect current workforce needs. Through advisory committees and ongoing collaboration, employers provide guidance that helps shape curriculum, validate skills and prepare students for success in high-demand careers. 

Advisory Committee

For Districts:
An Advisory Committee is a group of persons outside the education profession, comprised of representative lay-people, recognized and respected in their own fields of work who advise CTE educators, administrators, and local board of education members regarding clusters/pathways, based on the employment needs of the community, state, regional, national, and international marketplace.

The general functions are to act in an advisory capacity for the development and operation of the CTE cluster/pathway.

An Advisory Committee can assist in answering:

  • Are students being prepared for the future job market?
  • What should the training include?
  • Is curriculum addressing industry needs?
  • How can instructors verify competencies to industry standards?
  • What industry validated credentials (includes certificates or licenses) are available within the cluster/pathway?

Advisory Committees offer many services:

  • Cluster/pathway development.
  • Provide advice that is not easily obtainable elsewhere.
  • Aid in public relations activities.
  • Offer different points of view.
  • Actively aid in the placement of graduates.
  • Assist in keeping educational programs up to date.
  • Help transition to post-secondary education and training.
  • Contribute training sites for internships or “live” work for In-House Training (IHT).

An Information Guidebook developed to assist Local Education Agencies comply with Cluster/Pathway approval.

Kansas Advisory Committee for Career and Technical Education

The purpose of the KACCTE is to provide business and industry a unified voice to advocate and provide recommendations for continuous improvement for Career and Technical Education to, including but not limited to, the Kansas State Department of Education, the Kansas Postsecondary Technical Education Authority, the State Workforce Board and the Kansas Board of Regents. 

KACCTE Resource 

For more information on Career and Technical Education, contact:

Natalie Clark
(785) 296-4351