By Ryan Steuer | CEO, Magnify Learning
Career and Technical Education (CTE) has long been the hands-on track of K–12 learning—where students roll up their sleeves and tackle real work. But too often, CTE programs get boxed in by old stigmas: the “other” path, reserved for students not bound for college. Are you ready to rewrite that story? Are you already rewriting?
Today’s best CTE programs aren’t side tracks—they’re launchpads. When combined with Project Based Learning (PBL), they become engines of relevance, engagement, and purpose. The schools getting this right are producing students who graduate not only with certifications, but with confidence, curiosity, and the ability to solve complex problems long before they earn a degree. They are also graduating with offers for pretty solid incomes!
Let’s look at how CTE and PBL intersect to create this kind of transformation—and what lessons school leaders can take from one standout district that’s getting it right.
1️⃣ Blending Hands-On Experience with Real Pedagogy
At their best, CTE programs naturally thrive on authenticity. Welding, medical tech, automotive repair, cybersecurity—these are inherently real-world disciplines. But just because we’re doing projects doesn’t mean we’re doing Project Based Learning.
That distinction is critical. Many CTE instructors enter education straight from the workforce—industry pros with deep expertise but little pedagogical training. PBL gives them the missing framework: a structured approach to teaching that strengthens engagement, reflection, and voice and choice.
The six steps of PBL—from the entry event to reflection—give CTE programs the structure to make their hands-on learning intentional and rigorous. PBL and CTE go really, really well together. It’s where authentic projects meet sound pedagogy.
When teachers in the trades learn to frame their projects through PBL, magic happens. Students stop completing tasks and start solving problems. Welding also becomes design thinking. Automotive repair also becomes systems analysis. Healthcare simulations also become empathy exercises.
This shift doesn’t just improve student outcomes—it transforms teaching itself. CTE instructors begin to see themselves not only as mentors in skill, but as facilitators of inquiry and innovation. 🚀
2️⃣ Building Certification Pathways that Mean Something
The right structures turn good programs into great ones. Nowhere is that more evident than at Calvert County’s CTE program in Maryland, where Director Carrie Akins and coach Ashley Curtin have created a powerhouse model.
Their results? A jaw-dropping 92% certification pass rate—and growing. Next year, they expect 96%. That’s across more than 600+ students and multiple disciplines.
This didn’t happen by chance. Calvert County strategically removed barriers for students by covering certification costs and building partnerships with state and community organizations. What started as an optional, pay-to-test system (with low participation) became an equitable expectation for all learners.
Calverty County CTE uses Project Based Learning every day to connect the work students are doing to the real world. Partnership and internships are critical to their success.
What would it look like if every student in your CTE program left with a credential—and they earned it through authentic, rigorous, real-world work?
The results are life-changing.
- Students graduate ready to step directly into the workforce with industry-recognized certifications.
- Some are securing six-figure careers straight out of high school in welding, HVAC, and cybersecurity.
- Others use their certifications as springboards to college, apprenticeships, or entrepreneurship.
This is the definition of real-world readiness. When your high school graduates can repair, code, diagnose, and lead—before they turn 18—you’re not just teaching content; you’re building capacity.
Why aren’t we celebrating CTE successes like this more broadly?
We have a signing day picture when a student gets a tennis scholarship or a full-ride to an interesting college.
How do we start a movement to truly celebrate the work our CTE leaders and students are doing every day?
3️⃣ Changing the Story: Elevating CTE as a Path of Excellence
The stigma surrounding CTE—that it’s a “lesser” track—has lingered far too long. Calvert County’s program demolishes that narrative. Their site has rigor, relevance, and respect in every corner:
- In the medical tech wing, students practice patient care with an iPad-controlled mannequin named Annie who can smile, gag, or even “throw up” as part of their simulations.
- The automotive lab could double as a professional service center—complete with a Corvette for diagnostics and full tire and brake systems for student learning.
- The HVAC and plumbing units look like construction sites in progress, where students run electrical and water lines through real 2×4 walls.
Does this prep them for the real-world? As someone who talks about real-world, authentic learning constantly, I say, Yes! Students are actually encountering way more diverse issues in the CTE doctor’s office than they would if they job shadowed.
Every program is connected to a community partner that gives feedback, advises, and ensures authenticity both on the program at large and student work.
And that authenticity translates into empowerment. Once-quiet students now lead presentations at state competitions. They were super quiet when they started, and now they’re standing on stage speaking in front of thousands.
That kind of confidence isn’t built from worksheets—it’s built from purpose.
Go see this for yourself. Take a tour. If your program isn’t where you want it to be, go see excellence. Learn what to fight for.
Because excellence in CTE isn’t accidental—it’s engineered. And when you combine it with PBL, you don’t just prepare students for jobs. You prepare them for life. ⚙️
CTE and PBL are not parallel tracks—they’re a single, powerful path to future-ready learning. Together, they create classrooms where:
- Students apply what they learn instead of memorizing it.
- Teachers facilitate growth instead of managing compliance.
- Schools celebrate diverse pathways instead of ranking them.
This is what sustainable, high-impact education looks like: customized, real-world, and alive with purpose.
If you’re an administrator looking to reignite your district’s career readiness efforts, take a page from Calvert County’s playbook.
- Start with a visit. Go see programs that blend PBL and CTE.
- Get Trained. Train your leadership and staff in Project Based Learning.
- Tell the story. Celebrate every student who leaves ready to build, heal, create, or lead.
The future of education isn’t about tracking kids into different paths—it’s about opening doors wide enough for every learner to step confidently through.
When PBL meets CTE, school becomes what it was always meant to be: a launchpad for real life. ✈️
Want to learn more?
We’re hosting a free webinar: “3 Solutions PBL Brings to CTE”
Save your seat → pblwebinar.com
Click here for a podcast episode on 3 Solutions PBL Brings to CTE.