KY Office of Career and Technical Education

09/09/2026

From Nelson County to Oxford, England, one Kentucky CTE student is helping show what teacher apprenticeship can do.

Nelson County High School senior MaKayla Burress recently shared her experience in the LEAD Nelson Teacher Apprentice Program with education leaders from across the United States. Burress has participated in the program since her freshman year and now spends each school day teaching first- and second-grade students at Cox’s Creek Elementary.

Having already finished her high school credits and earned two associate degrees, Burress says the hands-on experience has confirmed that teaching is where she belongs.

Nelson County Schools
Kentucky Department of Education
Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet

09/09/2026

08/27/2026

More reasons to celebrate at the Kentucky State Fair. Congratulations to our 2026 Kentucky FFA Career Development Event state winners! 🏆

Mason Falwell of Calloway County took the state title in Seed Identification. Menifee County won the state Agronomy CDE, and Cumberland County brought home the banner in Dairy Cattle Evaluation.

CDEs put classroom learning to the test, and results like these represent hours of practice by students and their advisors. Congratulations to all of you.



Kentucky Department of Education
Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet

08/27/2026

The Kentucky FFA Association is front and center at the Kentucky State Fair. 🌽

Regional Star finalists have exhibits on display highlighting their Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs, the businesses, projects and placements students build outside the classroom. Nearby, the champion exhibits from each category show off the best crops, grains and forages Kentucky FFA members produced this year.

Congratulations to every student with work on display. The fair runs through Sunday, so there is still time to stop by and see what our agriculture education students are growing.



Kentucky Department of Education
Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet

08/26/2026

Leadership looks like this. 🎗️

Kentucky FFA Association Lake Cumberland Region State Vice President Caleb Feather spent his day in the ring at the Kentucky State Fair, handing out ribbons at the 4-H and FFA Sheep Show to exhibitors who put in months of work before they ever walked through the gate.

The State Fair is where the classroom meets the barn, and where our state officers get to give back to the members coming up behind them.

Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet
Kentucky Department of Education

08/25/2026

Kentucky brought home the GOLD. 🏆

At the SkillsUSA State Directors Conference, SkillsUSA Kentucky was recognized with the 2026 State Standards of Excellence Award at the Gold Level, the highest level of recognition a state association can earn.

This award reflects the work happening in classrooms and labs across the Commonwealth every day: advisors who show up for their students, chapters that keep growing, and members who take the Framework seriously. Congratulations to State Director Jermaine Poynter and to every advisor, administrator and student who made this possible.

Here's to another year of raising the standard.

Kentucky Department of Education
SkillsUSA Kentucky
Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet

08/24/2026

08/24/2026

Last week to apply for priority consideration in the next cohort of KY Transition 360 for Educators.

This asynchronous professional learning program strengthens your skills in connecting students with disabilities to career pathways, workforce opportunities, postsecondary education, and other post-school goals. Participants work at their own pace and receive a $750 stipend.

Open to general and special educators, administrators, paraprofessionals, counselors, career and technical education teachers, job coaches, and other transition support staff.

Applications close August 28, 2026: https://uky.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5nf44aWvsWSNVqK

Questions? Call (502) 564-4970 or email [email protected]

08/19/2026

08/13/2026

School is back in session across Kentucky, and CTE students are picking up right where they left off.

At The Shelby County Area Technology Center, students stepped off the bus and got straight to work. New shop rules, new tools, and a whiteboard already filling up with work based learning placements. That is how a career starts.

Across the state this fall, CTE students are lining up industry certifications, work based learning hours, and real skills in welding, health science, agriculture, construction, IT, and everything in between. They are not waiting until graduation to get started.

Here is to a great year, Kentucky.

Kentucky Department of Education