2026 ISBE Career Connections Conference

High school students are most successful when they can clearly articulate who they are, what they bring to the workplace, and how their strengths connect to future career pathways. This highly interactive session introduces the Leadership Lab, a toolkit-based framework designed to help high school students develop leaders identity as a core employability skill aligned to CTE Career Pathways and Programs of Study.
Participants will experience the Leadership Lab exactly as students would—engaging in short, high-impact activities that build self-awareness, professional communication, and career confidence. Educators will explore practical strategies that integrate seamlessly into existing CTE coursework, CTSOs, advisory periods, internships, and work-based learning experiences. Emphasis is placed on helping students translate leadership behaviors into resume-ready language and interview responses valued by employers.
The Leadership Lab is grounded in four pillars: Strengths and Career Identity; Voice, Agency, and Professional Communication; Leadership and Employability Skills Valued by Employers; and Career Pathway Alignment with Real-World Application. Participants will leave with ready-to-use tools they can implement immediately to strengthen student engagement, clarity, and workforce readiness.

This session explores how HOSA–Future Health Professionals can be strategically integrated into Health Science programs to strengthen Work-Based Learning (WBL), develop leadership capacity, and intentionally build career-ready skills. Participants will learn how to move beyond viewing HOSA as an “extra activity” and instead leverage it as a structured instructional tool that enhances curriculum outcomes, student engagement, and workforce readiness.

Today’s rapidly changing environment demands innovative thinking, effective communication, collaboration, and agile problem-solving. Fast-paced collaborative competitions, such as Innovation Challenges, encourage students to address real-world issues while developing employability skills, engagement, and authentic exploration. This session will present strategies for designing project-based challenges that build collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills central to the Illinois College and Career Pathway Endorsements. Attendees will learn how Innovation Challenges connect classroom learning to real-world applications, offer meaningful student support, and build learner confidence. The session will also cover aligning challenges with CTE pathways, leveraging community partnerships, and supporting diverse student needs to prepare all participants for college and career success. You will leave with practical tools and inspiration to enhance learning and transform your CTE program.

The Alumni Career Connection brings together distinguished graduates to inspire, inform, and empower current students as they explore career pathways. Alumni share firsthand insight into their professions, including the realities of entry-level work, the skills employers value, and the unexpected opportunities that shaped their journeys. This session emphasizes the power of relationships—showing students how networking, mentorship, and curiosity can accelerate development beyond the classroom. Presenters highlight diverse industries and experiences, providing students with both practical advice and encouragement to pursue their goals confidently. The Alumni Career Connection is designed to broaden awareness of postsecondary options, strengthen the school-to-career pipeline, and showcase the meaningful impact our graduates have in their communities. Above all, it reinforces the message that success takes many forms and that every student’s path is uniquely crafted through preparation, persistence, and support.

As industries evolve and infrastructure demands grow, the skilled trades face a widening talent gap, as well as a powerful opportunity. In this session, Brian Huff shares firsthand insights from the front lines of workforce training, drawing on his experience as a trained welder and an innovative leader in skills-focused education. He explores why traditional education pathways alone are no longer enough and how hands-on, employer-aligned training models can directly meet today’s workforce needs. Attendees will learn how proven employer partnerships connect job-ready graduates with in-demand roles, while opening doors for students from all backgrounds to careers that offer long-term stability, pride, and purpose. Brian also addresses current legislation impacting skilled trades, CTE, and trade schools, and what it means for educators, employers, and policymakers. This session challenges the status quo and makes the case for trading up the next generation of skilled trades workers for meaningful, lifelong careers.