SILVER SPRING, MD – (August 2, 2021) Today, The Postsecondary State CTE Leaders Fellowship at Advance CTE – Sponsored by ECMC Foundation (Fellowship) was launched to expand state leadership pipelines in postsecondary Career Technical Education (CTE) and close racial equity gaps in CTE leadership representation.
The Fellowship is supported through a grant from ECMC Foundation as part of the ECMC Foundation’s CTE Leadership Collaborative, an initiative focused on bringing together diverse perspectives and equipping CTE leaders with the tools, resources and skills needed to advance postsecondary CTE through fellowship programs.
According to a 2020 Advance CTE membership survey, 93 percent of responding State CTE Directors identified as White. Without Limits: A Shared Vision for the Future of Career Technical Education (CTE Without Limits), agreed to by over 40 national organizations, calls for learners to be able to see themselves in the educators and leaders who serve them. This Fellowship will strengthen and racially diversify the pool of state CTE postsecondary leadership. Strong and diverse state leadership can work to ensure the postsecondary CTE systems are free from bias, that systemic inequities are addressed and that every learner can access and complete a postsecondary CTE program of their choice.
Advance CTE—ECMCF Fellows will gain strategic, equity-minded leadership skills to ensure high-quality, equitable state postsecondary CTE systems Two cohorts, each consisting of up to 15 Fellows, will:
- participate in-depth workshops rooted in quality, equity and collaboration;
- receive individual coaching from experienced postsecondary, CTE and/or equity leaders;
- build social capital and expand their network; and
- complete a real-world fellowship project.
“CTE Without Limits challenges us to make sure each learner feels welcome in, is supported by and has the means to succeed in the career preparation ecosystem,” stated Kimberly Green, Executive Director of Advance CTE. “To accomplish this, we must work towards a more racially diverse pool of CTE educators and leaders. The Postsecondary State CTE Leaders Fellowship is a first step towards closing leadership representation gaps, and Advance CTE is proud to partner with ECMC Foundation on this important work.”
The first cohort of the Fellowship will be announced in October 2021. The deadline for applications is September 15, 2021, and is open to experienced professionals in diverse career pathways across education, industry and workforce. For more information about the program and to access the application, visit Advance CTE’s Fellowship web page.
Advance CTE is the longest-standing national non-profit that represents State Directors and state leaders responsible for secondary, postsecondary and adult Career Technical Education (CTE) across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Established in 1920, Advance CTE supports visionary state leadership, cultivates best practices and speaks with a collective voice to advance high-quality CTE policies, programs and pathways that ensure career success for each learner.
ECMC Foundation is a Los Angeles-based, nationally focused foundation with a mission to inspire and to facilitate improvements that affect educational outcomes—especially among underserved populations—through evidence-based innovation. It is one of several affiliates under the ECMC Group (www.ecmcgroup.org) enterprise based in Minneapolis. ECMC Foundation makes investments in two focus areas: College Success and Career Readiness; and uses a spectrum of funding structures, including strategic grantmaking and program-related investments, to invest in both nonprofit and for-profit ventures. Working with grantees, partners and peers, ECMC Foundation’s vision is for all learners to unlock their fullest potential.
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Media Contact: Stacy Whitehouse, swhitehouse@careertech.org
