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Former industry professionals say hands-on classrooms better prepare students for high-demand careers
Summary
Two teachers who left industry—Jason Bullock and Jake Bailey—describe how bringing real-world experience into the classroom, using performance-based skills training and industry standards, exposes students to career pathways and develops practical, job-ready abilities.
Jason Bullock, a former veterinary assistant and current agriculture teacher and FFA lead advisor, and Jake Bailey, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel turned physics and aviation teacher, told an interviewer they aim to make high school instruction more career-focused by using real workplace experience in lessons.
"I left the high school classroom and came back 3 times," Bullock said, describing a career that included work as a veterinary practice manager and as executive director for Washington FFA before returning to teach. He said those industry roles let him bring field trips, industry contacts and hands-on skill practice—such as learning to restrain an animal or administer medication—into class, so students demonstrate competencies rather than just memorizing facts.
Bailey, who described a 24-year Marine Corps career and time as an instructor pilot, said that experience shaped his approach to training. "I really enjoyed my tour as an instructor pilot," he said, adding that training others in high-stakes environments informed how he structures practice, assessment and remediation in the classroom.
Both teachers argued that students benefit when instructors use real examples and local connections. Bullock said he is arranging a dairy farm visit to give students exposure they cannot get from textbooks alone. "Those industry experiences helped enrich our classroom instruction," he said.
The pair also discussed assessment approaches. Bullock described performance-based checks in CTE classes: "I want to see you perform that skill," he said, noting that demonstration of a task is often more relevant for career preparation than written recall. Bailey described his use of Federal Aviation Administration standards and multiple-choice tests aligned with FAA expectations in his aviation class; he allows retakes after reflection and review to ensure mastery.
The teachers discussed broader shifts in instruction over time. Both contrasted lecture-heavy, note-driven instruction of earlier decades with current practices that emphasize guided-note packets, online slide decks and materials students can review outside class. They said those resources help students catch up when they miss school and allow more class time for hands-on learning.
On grading and accountability, Bullock said he supports standards-based grading that measures whether a student can meet an objective, but also stressed the need to teach punctuality, attendance and time management as essential life skills. "The student doesn't care how much you know until they know how much you care," he said, describing his approach to daily student contact and relationship-building.
Both urged other teachers to prioritize relationships, engagement and practical experiences, and to seek grant funding to support field trips and equipment. They said that work can require extra time beyond contract hours but that it yields meaningful opportunities for students to discover career paths—including jobs that did not exist when the teachers were students, such as roles related to drones and UAS technology.
The interview closed with a call for teachers to be present and involved in students' lives; the guests said that firsthand stories, photos from their own work and local partnerships help students see concrete career options and develop transferable, job-ready skills.
