Professional Development

Workshops

Our workshops are designed for high school and community college educators as well as workforce personnel and are tailored to fit local needs. NCPN can deliver workshops at your location.

Below is a sampling of our most-requested workshops and courses. All can be customized for your state or local needs. If you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for, just ask. We can combine topics or create a new workshop or course that will meet your professional development goals. (Download a PDF flyer of this page.)

Learn more about NCPN’s Career Pathways Leadership (CPL) Certification workshops.

Introduction to Career Pathways

This introductory workshop is designed to be the catalyst for the development and implementation of a Career Pathways system. Based on the US Department of Education Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education’s Programs of Study (POS) Design Framework.

Introduction to Contextual Teaching and Learning

Contextual teaching presents academic concepts in the context of careers and real-world experiences. This workshop explores contextual learning, learning styles, multiple intelligences, the five essential forms of learning, and steps for implementing contextual teaching strategies.

Designing Programs of Study

This workshop covers the nuts and bolts of Career Pathways delivery systems (dual enrollment, early college, apprenticeships), implementation, communication, technical skill attainment/evaluation, and capacity analysis.

Building Partnerships

This workshop provides tools for creating the strong community partnerships that Career Pathways systems require. Topics: Partner identification, goal setting, model structures, partner roles, and action plan development.

The Counselor’s Role in a Career Pathways System

This workshop is designed to help counselors take a fresh look at their roles in economic and workforce development. Topics: Global labor market supply and demand; education in economic development; career awareness (K–5), exploration (6–8), and preparation (9–14); and adult learners.

Career Pathways Leadership (CPL) Certification

1.5 days each. For professionals in CTE, adult ed, counseling, and workforce development. Below is a sampling of topics to be covered:

Leading Career Pathways: A Certification for Practitioners (formerly Career Pathways Leadership I)

This interactive workshop immerses you in best practices and insightful discussions based on the Advancing Credentials through Career Pathways Framework. Workshop segments include:

  • Strategically engaging employers to support innovation
  • Building community partnerships to facilitate seamless transitions
  • Designing industry-responsive career pathways
  • Using pathways mapping to identify and design stackable credentials
  • Championing and facilitating non-credit to credit alignment
  • Providing holistic student supports for credential completion

Participants will develop a local action plan and receive a toolbox of resources to deploy with K-16, adult education, community, and employer partners.

Scaling Career Pathways: A Certification for Influencers (formerly Career Pathways Leadership II)

This interactive workshop challenges you to take your pathways development to the next level, based on the Advancing Credentials through Career Pathways Framework. Workshop segments include:

  • Assessing achievements and lessons learned
  • Refining implementation practices to facilitate scaling
  • Expanding employer engagement and work-based learning experiences
  • Increasing awareness and leveraging stakeholder involvement
  • Applying market responsiveness and sustainability strategies

Employer Engagement

For community college faculty and staff. The need for strategic employer engagement with colleges has become more important than ever. This workshop provides tools to be used at colleges and with employers, leading to increased enrollment, better-prepared graduates, higher job placement rates, increased opportunities for continuing education of incumbent workers, and more!

ADULT CAREER PATHWAYS

Introduction to Career Pathways for Adult Educators

This workshop is designed to help participants find solutions to problems that prevent adults from obtaining the education that today’s workplace demands. Practical strategies and examples are shared. Participants begin to develop their own Career Pathways plans.

Using Career Pathways to Contextualize Instruction for Adult Learners

Are your adult learners having trouble retaining and applying what they learn? This workshop shows how to give academic concepts real-world relevance by teaching them in the contexts in which they are used in the workplace.

Leading Career Pathways: A Certification for Practitioners of Adult Education

1.5 days. This workshop covers the same general topics as our regular CPL workshop but focuses specifically on the roles of adult education practitioners, administrators, CTE directors, workforce and economic development personnel, and others who work with adult learners.

To learn more about NCPN’s professional development workshops contact workshops@cord.org.