Career and Technical Education seeks expanded work‑based learning, capital grants and TrainND expansion in Senate hearing

The Department of Career and Technical Education presented its budget request and legislative priorities to the Senate Appropriations — Education & Environment Division under Senate Bill 2019, emphasizing student outcomes, workforce connections and a continuation of capital grants for area CTE centers.

Wade Sick, state director of North Dakota Career and Technical Education (NDCTE), opened by citing statutory authority and the department’s mission. "The mission of North Dakota Career Technical Education is to work with others to provide all of North Dakota citizens with the technical skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to successfully perform, in a globally competitive market," Sick said. He referenced North Dakota Century Code sections that define the department’s responsibilities and the governance of area CTE centers.

Enrollment and outcomes

NDCTE reported about 26,000 unduplicated secondary students enrolled in at least one CTE course in 2023‑24 (about 74% of high school students). About 9,700 students met the department’s definition of a CTE concentrator (two full credits in a pathway). The agency said the on‑time graduation rate for CTE concentrators is about 98%, compared with roughly 82% statewide for all students. Post‑program placement (work, postsecondary enrollment or similar outcomes) was reported near 90% for concentrators.

Key budget requests and change packages

- Cost to continue and new program funding: NDCTE requested $4 million for cost‑to‑continue items and a significant new programs pool of $22 million to expand access and support new CTE offerings (including possible middle‑school programming).

- Work‑based learning coordinators: The department seeks an additional $1.5 million (to bring the total program funding to $3 million) to expand grants that place coordinators at CTE centers and support employer connections. Sick told the committee about an existing Compass work‑based learning platform and reported more than 16,000 students enrolled in that module.

- Area CTE capital projects: NDCTE asked for $56 million to continue the capital projects initiative begun in 2021; 13 projects were previously funded and several are complete or near completion, but some grantees reported deficits after inflation and design changes.

- TrainND expansion: TrainND (the statewide community college‑based workforce training network) requested a pilot expansion: an additional $1.6 million to add sales/outreach FTEs in regions to increase employer engagement and regional training access.

- Virtual reality career exploration and Marketplace for Kids: The department seeks additional investments in CareerView XR and requested a $150,000 increase for Marketplace for Kids (youth entrepreneurship and career exposure). Earlier ARPA and Treasury funds financed some program startup costs, and the department reported those funds mostly expended or committed.

- Apprenticeship / outreach FTEs: NDCTE requested two additional FTEs (about $600,000) to support outreach and development of youth and pre‑apprenticeship pathways; committee members were also shown a separate workforce bill (House Bill 1036) that would add apprenticeship capacity at the Department of Labor.

- Farm management education: Sick said a bill draft would transfer the farm management education program from NDCTE to the Department of Agriculture to improve outreach to producers; the fiscal detail would move a $1.7 million line item to Agriculture if enacted.

Other details and testimony

Sick described program organization (23.5 FTE on the 15th floor), recent staffing changes and turnover, and a clean audit for the prior cycle. He described a suite of accomplishments: work‑based learning placements, expansion of high school aviation courses, rollout of an online payment system for licensing and a statewide pavement condition index study for airports (that referenced aeronautics, presented earlier in the same hearing record).

Multiple stakeholders testified in support of NDCTE priorities. Sarah Volmer (TrainND Southwest and dean at Bismarck State College) described TrainND’s regional role and asked for the outreach expansion; Nicole Wyschnock (TrainND Southeast) and other regional directors described apprenticeship activity and employer demand. Robert (Bob) Heitkamp, who runs Marketplace for Kids, requested a $150,000 increase to expand events and a stronger native‑community focus. Aaron Anderson, director of the Southwest Area CTE Academy (Dickinson), described hybrid delivery plans and mobile learning labs to serve rural students. Beth Demke, president of the North Dakota STEM Ecosystem board, urged continued investment in STEM programs that feed into CTE pathways.

Fees and grants

Sick said the department charges an initial application fee of $1,000 and a $500 annual renewal to post‑secondary career schools that seek approval under state statute. He also summarized ARPA/Treasury spending and said most capital grant projects would be completed by June 30, 2025.

No formal committee vote was recorded at the hearing. Committee members asked for more detail on capital project deficits and local share expectations; members signaled further review and follow‑up would be needed as budget negotiations continue.