Speaker 2 said a primary focus for the coming year will be career and technical education, framing it as a pathway for students who may not be on a four-year college track.

"So a really big focus of mine this year is gonna be career technical education," Speaker 2 said, adding that some students benefit from programs that allow them to work and pursue technical training in tandem with core classes. Speaker 3 agreed, describing the need to ask attentive questions when students express interest in technical programs rather than discouraging that interest.

Committee members asked about program logistics. Speaker 3 clarified that some tech-center placements (BTC, Burlington, Essex) are half-day programs; participants noted that application demand sometimes exceeds available seats. Speaker 2 raised regional capacity issues: wait lists in Rutland and Chittenden County with open slots in Addison, and members discussed occasional cross-district attendance depending on available openings.

No formal policy or funding decisions were made during the discussion; members were encouraged to attend tours and follow up on capacity and partnership options.