CTE Partnership Council Bridges Classes & Careers

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Partnership Council galvanizes the common goal of Fayette County Public Schools and vital local supporters to offer transformative opportunities and invaluable workplace experiences for our students. “At the end of the day, it’s about providing opportunities for our students, our industry partners, and our community,” said Amanda Wickersham, the district’s CTE director. 

The council, whose leaders meet quarterly, was convened by Bluegrass Community & Technical College (BCTC) to strengthen the alignment between CTE classes in FCPS and industry and community partners. The aim is to inspire new CTE partnerships with local businesses, enhance K-12 and postsecondary pathways, and deepen community engagement while building sustainable workforce pipelines. 

In launching its third academic year, the council welcomed a new co-chair in Alex Lyttle, chief retail officer at Whitaker Bank Corp. He cited construction and manufacturing as thriving fields in Central Kentucky, along with banking and related areas. “How do we identify business needs and match students to those needs?” Lyttle asked during the leadership team’s July 6 gathering at our district’s John D. Price Administration building. 

Along with Lyttle and Wickersham, other attendees at the kickoff lunch included:

• BCTC staff Gregory Feeney, president; Melanie Williamson, dean of Innovation; Laura Hunt, provost; and Michael Chambers, associate dean;
• Aaron Thompson, president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education; and
• FCPS staff Bill Bradford, acting superintendent; Tracy Bruno, chief of staff; Michael Adams, external partnerships manager; and Miranda Scully, executive director of Public Engagement.

BCTC’s Hunt said it’s crucial to remove barriers for potential partners and to provide incentives for their participation. Adams agreed, noting a soon-to-be-released "Employer’s Guide to Work-Based Learning" handbook and plans to share success stories as examples of why they should partner with FCPS. 

Wickersham noted it’s a relationship-building process – a business might send a guest speaker to a freshman class, then the interested sophomore steps up for a job-shadowing day on site, then a junior or senior fits an internship into their class schedule. Ultimately, the industry partner can see a tangible return on their investment as they develop potential hires. “We have to show it’s possible, it’s easy, and they benefit from it,” she said. 

Visit FCPS.net/partners to learn more.