413 CTE Reimagined: From Workforce Pipelines to Future Leaders

What if CTE stopped just filling jobs and started building future leaders and communities?

In this episode of the Disrupt Education Podcast, hosts Alli Dahl and Peter Hostrawser sit down with Kristy Volesky and Jeff Frost to dig into their new book, CTE Reimagined: The Blueprint for Education’s Future. This isn’t another “how to run a program” manual—it’s a salty, honest challenge to the status quo of compliance, checkboxes, and shiny new buildings that don’t change student outcomes.

Kristy and Jeff unpack why traditional “workforce development” thinking is not enough, and why CTE must shift toward economic development and leadership development. They talk about:

-The danger of designing CTE only for today’s vacancies instead of tomorrow’s non-linear careers

-Why “pipelines” trap students, and how on-ramps and off-ramps create agility and real options

-How ego, fear, and tradition keep districts stuck in pretend “hands-on” learning instead of real-world impact

-The 40 disruptors featured in the book who are already reimagining programs across the country

-How schools can start rebuilding CTE with what they already have—without waiting for a new building or a new mandate

If you’re in CTE, K–12, higher ed, workforce, economic development, or a community that cares about its future, this conversation will push you to rethink what “career-ready” really means.

🔗 Learn more about Kristy & Jeff’s work:www.voleskyconsulting.com📘 Get the book – CTE Reimagined: The Blueprint for Education’s Future:https://www.amazon.com/CTE-Reimagined-Blueprint-Educations-Future/dp/B0FTV9SCTM

🎧 Subscribe for more conversations that actually disrupt education.Share this episode with a CTE leader, superintendent, or policymaker who’s ready to move beyond box-checking.