In Episode 2 of the Career Tech Leaders Show, David Young talks with Steve Fisk, Superintendent of Odessa School District in Odessa, Washington, about how rural schools can build meaningful career pathways for students through agriculture, technology, and hands-on learning.

Steve shares what it’s like leading CTE programs in a small farming community, how Odessa is helping students prepare for life after high school, and why precision agriculture, drone technology, and work-based learning are opening new doors for students in rural America.

In this episode, we cover:

• What CTE looks like in a rural school district
• How Odessa is building agriculture and ag tech pathways
• Why drones and precision agriculture are a natural fit for students
• Funding strategies, grants, and partnerships that helped launch the program
• How schools can connect students to real-world careers in their local economy
• Why technology can help more students, including young women, find a place in agriculture
• Steve’s vision for student-led, self-sustaining career programs in the future

This is a great conversation for superintendents, CTE directors, teachers, and school leaders looking for practical ideas to create innovative programs that truly serve their communities.

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In Episode 1, the show kicks off with Joe Kolenda, principal of the Guthrie Center in Spring Branch ISD (Houston area). The Guthrie Center is a dedicated career center where students travel from their home high schools to take hands-on CTE classes across 13 different programs—everything from health science and cybersecurity to culinary, architecture, agriculture, and electrical.

Joe breaks down what it really takes to run a successful career center: how programs are chosen based on student interest and workforce demand, how multi-year pathways and certifications give students real options after graduation, and what the balance looks like between students entering the workforce and those continuing to college.

The conversation also dives into funding realities—how Texas CTE weighted funding works, how Perkins funding fits in, and why grant opportunities can be helpful but challenging to manage. Joe shares how their work-based learning model connects students with real employers, what makes those partnerships successful, and why career readiness often comes down to practical skills like communication, professionalism, and showing up prepared.

Finally, Joe offers insight into recruiting and retaining CTE teachers from industry, including where to find candidates, how local certification can help, and how school leaders can build a culture that keeps strong instructors engaged despite higher-paying opportunities elsewhere. This episode sets the tone for the podcast with an honest, experience-driven look at what it takes to build CTE programs that work.

https://dronelaunchlearning.com/

#CareerTechEducation #CTE #CareerTechLeaders #WorkBasedLearning #CareerPathways #educationleadership