The CTE Leadership Collaborative (LC) Initiative, operating from 2018-2025, brought together diverse perspectives and equipped postsecondary career and technical education (CTE) leaders with the tools, resources and skills needed to advance the field.
Across the country, there is a critical shortage of qualified workers needed to fill middle-skill jobs—jobs that require more education and training than a high school diploma, but less than a four-year college degree. Many of the middle-skill jobs in high-demand industries, like manufacturing, information technology and healthcare, pay family-sustaining wages and can be accessed by attaining postsecondary career and technical education (CTE) credentials.
While CTE programs in high-demand fields exist, the quality and outcomes of programs vary, research and awareness of best practices are limited, and leadership and professional development opportunities are uncommon.
History
In 2018, ECMC Foundation launched the CTE Leadership Collaborative (LC), an initiative focused on convening cross-segmental perspectives equipping leaders with the resources and skills needed to advance postsecondary CTE. Through grants made to leading organizations and institutions, ECMC Foundation provided funding for six fellowship programs offering professional development including mentoring and skill-building opportunities; in-person and virtual convenings; writing and presenting about learnings; attending conferences; and participating in capstone projects. Each fellowship program (listed below) supported leaders from a range of geographies, variety of disciplines and mix of approaches—known as ECMC Foundation Fellows (Fellows)—dedicated to improving postsecondary CTE.
While the six grantee partners oversaw the majority of the programmatic activities, ECMC Foundation ensured collaboration across programs. In addition to convening Fellows across programs on an annual basis, the Foundation hosted receptions and networking events at conferences and offered funding to support Fellows interested in collaborating on projects.
By the time of the program’s conclusion in 2025, more than 450ECMC Foundation Fellows had worked to improve postsecondary CTE by addressing field-level research gaps, incorporating evidence-based approaches to student success, deepening related media coverage, improving campus-specific data use, integrating company hiring practices, advancing state-wide policies, and more. Through these efforts, ECMC Foundation Fellows will advance the field by uplifting the needs and opportunities to increase financial support, build public will, improve practice and policy, and drive equitable student outcomes in CTE, with the ultimate goal of boosting program persistence and credential attainment to ensure graduates can access positions paying family-sustaining wages and employers have the qualified and diverse talent they need.
Formerly Funded Fellowship Programs
The CTE Research Program at Old Dominion University: a program for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to increase postsecondary CTE-focused research.
The Postsecondary Leadership Success Program at ACTE: a program for CTE practitioners to develop leaders at nonprofits and postsecondary institutions offering CTE programs.
The Higher Education Media Fellowship at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars: a program for journalists to increase and improve coverage of postsecondary education, especially CTE.
The Strategic Data Project - CTE at Harvard University: a program for community college data professionals to improve student success and generate insights about workforce outcomes.
The CTE Industry Fellowship Program at JFF: a program for industry leaders to promote CTE graduates within company hiring policies and practices.
The Postsecondary State CTE Leaders Fellowship Program at Advance CTE: a program for aspiring state leaders to implement high-quality and equity-centered programs and policies.
Final Update
The CTE Leadership Collaborative Initiative was sunset in 2025. While ECMC Foundation still supports postsecondary CTE programming and those working in the field, the Foundation is no longer funding this cohort of fellowship programs.
Thank you to all who were involved in this impactful initiative.