About Activate CTE
GOOD CTE CHANGES WHAT STUDENTS BELIEVE IS POSSIBLE.
Activate CTE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We work alongside educators, student organizations, associations and communities to turn ambitious Career and Technical Education programs into clear next steps that fit the people doing the work.
What we do
ONE ORGANIZATION. MANY WAYS TO STRENGTHEN CTE.
We train the educators and leaders who run CTE programs, give students real ways to explore careers, and advocate for the funding that keeps it all going.
Training + Speaking
Keynotes, workshops and year-round training for CTE educators, student leaders and mission-driven organizations.
EXPLORE →CTSO + Association Support
Advisor coaching, officer development and competition prep for SkillsUSA, HOSA, FBLA, DECA, FFA, TSA and more.
EXPLORE →AVEL Esports + ActivateXP
A scholastic esports league with career exploration built in for every student.
EXPLORE →Activate PLACE
Students, volunteers and professionals working with local businesses and events to build community.
EXPLORE →Advocacy + Partnerships
Bringing educators, students and industry into the conversations that shape CTE funding and policy.
EXPLORE →Stories + Insights
Student journeys, educator insight and practical thinking from the people doing the work.
READ →What we believe
THE WORK STARTS WITH PEOPLE.
Start with the people doing the work.
Educators know what their students need. We build around their reality, not a generic catalog.
Leadership should not require burnout.
Students should learn how to lead without exhausting themselves proving they can.
Everyone shares the responsibility.
Students belong in the conversation, and industry belongs in the classroom before graduation.
Meet the co-founder
JASON BLACKWELL
Jason is a co-founder of Activate CTE. His work started in the classroom, teaching SkillsUSA carpentry at Escambia County High School in Atmore, Alabama. There, his students designed and built picnic tables for a city park using lumber donated by the city, a project that showed what hands-on learning can do for students and their community. Jason has taught for more than 20 years, holds more than 20 certificates in trades education, and previously worked with the Alabama State Department of Education. He is a Harbor Freight Tools for Schools National Grand Prize Winner and a SkillsUSA Teacher of the Year.
Today Jason speaks at conferences, leads professional development for CTE educators, supports student organizations, and advocates in Washington, D.C. for strong investment in Career and Technical Education. He brings classroom credibility, humor and direct language to every room.
Jason Blackwell
Our team
THE PEOPLE BEHIND ACTIVATE CTE.
Nonprofit information
ACCOUNTABLE TO STUDENTS AND COMMUNITIES.
EIN 99-2894067
Repton, AL 36475-7605
Work with us
BRING US THE REAL PROBLEM.
You do not need a finished plan. Tell us what is happening in your classroom, association or community, and we will find the right next step together.