In this powerhouse episode,  sit down with Dr. Mark Covell—CTE advocate, educational leader, and Director of MBIT—to dig into the past, present, and future of Career & Technical Education (CTE). Together, we unpack the post-COVID surge in CTE interest, the erosion of outdated stigmas, and whyhands-on, real-world learning is not only relevant—it's essential.

🧠 What You'll Learn

• Why CTE is booming nationwide—and why it's not just about“the trades”
• How real-world learning and “learning by doing” boostsengagement and retention
• The critical difference between knowing about acareer and actually experiencing one
• How modern CTE programs prepare students for both the workforce and college
• Why some of the most in-demand, lucrative careers don’t require a traditional 4-year degree
• How CTE educators are leading the way in differentiated instruction, standards-based grading, and authentic assessment—without evencalling it that
• What traditional K-12 can (and should) steal from CTEprograms to improve learning for all kids

🛠️ Memorable Quotes

“When we said ‘college for all,’ we may have accidentallysaid ‘trades for none.’” – Mark Covell

“It’s not ‘just a plumber.’ It’s a skilled entrepreneurwho owns a home on the shore.” – Mark Covell

“Nobody looks at your transcript—they want to know if youcan do the job.” – Dan Thomas

“The number one visited website is Google. Number two?YouTube. We all love to learn by doing.” – Mark Covell

💬 Topics Covered

• CTE structure at MBIT and shared-time model
• How CTE combats the skills gap and boosts workforcereadiness
• Rewriting the narrative on blue-collar careers
• The evolving role of technology and robotics in skilledtrades
• Addressing the national teacher shortage through CTEhiring pipelines
• Why traditional education needs to get its hands dirty—in a good way

🔗 Connect with Dr. Mark Covelle

LinkedIn: Mark Covelle

Twitter/X: @mcovelle

Middle Bucks Institute of Technology: https://www.mbit.org

🎧 Listen & Subscribe

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