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Member-Exclusive Policy Outlook: Workforce Readiness with CTE
North Dakota’s workforce strategy is getting more structured — and more measurable. During our recent member-exclusive Policy Outlook, business leaders heard directly from Wayde Sick, State Director of North Dakota Department of Career & Technical Education (CTE), and Jessica DuVall, Business Education Supervisor, on how work-based learning is expanding and how new career-focused coursework is aligning students earlier with industry needs.
We are grateful to CareerViewXR for serving as the premier sponsor of this event and for their continued commitment to strengthening workforce readiness across North Dakota.
This session went beyond slides and statistics. Business leaders engaged in a candid dialogue — raising practical questions about safety, scheduling, and implementation — and heard directly from the state leaders responsible for executing the strategy.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
>> Work-Based Learning Is Scaling — with Dedicated State Support
North Dakota has invested significantly in building a formal bridge between education and industry. The legislature allocated $1.5 million in 2023, with an additional $500,000 added in 2025, supporting 20 full-time work-based learning coordinators statewide.
These coordinators are trained, licensed, and placed strategically across the state to connect students with employers and ensure students earn credit for real, sustained workplace experiences.
>> Student Demand Is Strong — Employer Opportunities Are the Limiting Factor
For fall 2025, 1,093 students participated in real work-based learning placements.
Through the Compass platform, 16,600 students — roughly half of North Dakota’s high school population — are actively engaged, matched with 667 employers offering 264 opportunities. Wayde Sick emphasized the long-term workforce implications:“On an annual basis, 8,000 to 9,000 students graduate from high school… Either way, they're a part of that pipeline. And the sooner that you engage with them, the stronger relationship that you're going to have with them.”
>> Employer Commitment Is Flexible — and Structured as a Partnership
Businesses are not expected to build programs alone. Work-based learning is structured around a formal agreement between the school, the employer, and the student.
>> Manufacturing and Safety Concerns Were Addressed Directly
Questions about engaging students under 18 — particularly in manufacturing environments — were discussed openly. Through collaboration with Workforce Safety & Insurance and the Department of Labor, pathways exist for safe and compliant placements.
>> Career Kickstart: Bringing Business Skills Earlier
Jessica DuVall introduced AP Career Kickstart, launching broadly beginning summer 2025. The course blends career readiness, personal finance, and business fundamentals in a project-based format.
Students can earn both an AP exam score and an industry-recognized credential developed in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce — helping ensure employer recognition and value.
This discussion reinforced a clear strategy: North Dakota is intentionally building its talent pipeline earlier and more directly with employer input.
