News

Career Fairs represent some of the longest standing opportunities for students to explore careers, whether organized by their schools on-campus, or by employers offsite. An April event at the Pittsburgh Marriott put somewhat of a new twist on the old standard. It brought together seniors just weeks from graduation, many of whom have no immediate […]

In November, Eatontown Public Schools (EPS), located in Eatontown, New Jersey, approached the Consortium with an exciting opportunity to help expand and develop project-based lessons across their Pre-K to 8th grade system. EPS had introduced their teachers to PBL by participating in a one-day session offered by PBLWorks, and reached out to CPE to help […]

The need for education and industry to work together seamlessly has grown exponentially, especially in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Rapidly evolving career pathways combined with an established need for skills like communication, collaboration, and critical thinking, make conversations across school districts, Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs), Intermediate Units (IUs), nonprofits, higher education, and corporations essential. Research by Education […]

Often elementary teachers, families, and students don’t see themselves as preparing for their futures. They see themselves as preparing for the next level of school. But more and more we are recognizing the critical skill-building and experiences that elementary-age students need as a foundation for their future readiness. To support our belief that elementary future […]

When Partner4Work, one of Pennsylvania’s 22 Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs), plans its second Career Ready Allegheny conference, it hopes to bring more employers to the table. “I think we’d like a much larger presence, and that’s something that was communicated from attendees—that they would love to talk with more businesses and employers,” said Jennifer Peedin, [...]

Over the past few weeks, students in the Consortium’s Future Ready Leaders program had the chance to fan out across the Pittsburgh region to engage with professionals to explore careers, learn about options for post-secondary pathways, and practice communication skills. Career exploration is a vital piece of helping students answer CPE’s three questions that focus […]

School leaders frequently find themselves in professional development opportunities that check a box but don’t support their growth as a leader. Our two Act 45 courses provide administrators with new tools and collaborative growth, as well as the chance to apply that learning directly to existing challenges in their systems.  New for 2025 is our […]

Our latest set of instructional resources explain the key elements of project-based learning in easy-to-understand, shareable handouts. Each one-pager highlights a specific why, how, and key strategy to help bring PBL to life in your classroom. Key project design elements include:  PBL assessments; learning outcomes; student voice & choice; real world connections; driving questions; research; […]

Many people, particularly those with family members who worked in factories a generation ago, have misconceptions about what it means to work in manufacturing industries today. That’s the reason Catalyst Connection offers Industry 4.0 Teacher Academy in partnership with the Consortium. The hope is that these professional development seminars will help educators give students an […]

Many schools in our Building a Positive School Climate (BPSC) cohort are embarking on a transformative journey – implementing a House System to encourage academic achievement, teamwork, and belonging. A House System is a structure that “sorts” students into “houses” themed around specific characteristics that are important to the school. Students then work as a […]