CTE Partnerships at Work: Turning National Momentum into Local Talent Pipelines

This December, I attended CTE Partnerships at Work: Building Skills, Shaping Futures, the Coalition for Workforce Development Through CTE Annual Summit, held December 8–9, 2025, at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee. The one-and-a-half-day summit brought together industry leaders, educators, policymakers, and workforce development advocates focused on strengthening the partnerships that power high-quality career and technical education.

Throughout the summit, one lesson stood out above all others: while the workforce talent shortage is a global issue, the solution is local.

Across industries and regions, employers are facing the same challenge, finding and retaining skilled talent. Yet the most effective solutions are built community by community, school by school, and employer by employer. For NFFS members, this means every foundry has the opportunity to build a sustainable talent pipeline by engaging directly with local career and technical education (CTE) schools.

The summit reinforced the importance of collaboration between business and education. Through real-world examples and a featured school site visit, we saw how employers who actively partner with educators help shape curriculum, provide exposure to careers, and create clear pathways from the classroom to the workplace. These partnerships benefit students, strengthen local economies, and help employers secure the skilled workforce they need.

Through the Coalition for Workforce Development Through CTE, NFFS has a seat at the national table. The Coalition works to connect industry needs with educational practice, elevate the voice of business and industry in support of CTE, and advance policies that strengthen career and technical education across the United States. While this national work is important, the summit made it clear that real progress happens locally. The most meaningful action takes place when employers show up in their communities and invest in relationships with educators.

I am also honored to share that I have been elected to serve on the Advisory Council for the Coalition for Workforce Development Through CTE. This role provides another opportunity to bring the voice of the metalcasting industry into national conversations and ensure our industry’s needs are represented as workforce strategies and recommendations are developed.

Most importantly, I want NFFS members to know that you are not expected to do this work alone. I am glad to work with any member company to help build or strengthen local talent pipelines through CTE. Whether you are starting from scratch or looking to deepen an existing partnership, support is available. Often, the first step is simply asking.

As we enter a new year, 2026, I encourage every NFFS member to make a simple but powerful resolution: be present in your community. Show up in your local schools. Partner with educators. Open your doors, share your story, and help inspire and prepare the next generation of metalcasting professionals. The workforce challenges we face will not be solved overnight, but by committing to local engagement and strong education partnerships, we can shape a stronger future for our industry and the communities we serve.