In today’s episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, Tom Vander Ark is joined by Corey Mahn and Shameka Montgomery to discuss next-gen career education.

 

Corey Mohn is the Executive Director of the Blue Valley Center for Advanced Professional Studies (or CAPS for short). This next-generation career center supports five suburban Kansas city high schools with, what they call professions-based learning, an applied project-based learning that immerses young people in the challenges of high wage, high growth jobs. This next-gen career center has inspired a national network that includes more than 60 school districts. And one of these school districts is Little Rock Public Schools where Shameka Montgomery is Director of Career Development.

 

In their conversation today, Shameka and Corey join Tom to discuss how career education has changed in Little Rock. Corey tells the origin story of Blue Valley CAPS and the impetus for CAPS becoming a national network, how other school districts join their network and upgrade their career education through their affiliation, and what is on the CAPS roadmap. Shameka shares her insights on how their learning opportunities at Little Rock have improved due to their CAPS affiliation and how and why this applied, hands-on, community-connected learning is making a major difference for young people in Little Rock.

 

Key Takeaways:

[:10] About today’s episode with Corey Mohn and Shameka Montgomery.

[:48] Jessica shares an email from a recent graduate of the Excel Careers for Advanced Professional Studies high school in Little Rock.

[1:40] Tom welcomes Corey and Shameka to the podcast.

[1:58] Shameka speaks about her history at Little Rock School District.

[2:20] Corey explains what professions-based learning is.

[3:50] Corey tells the origin story of Blue Valley CAPS.

[7:02] Tom gives a shoutout to Blue Valley’s founding director.

[7:50] Shameka shares what spurred her interest in a career in education as well as how she first learned about CAPS and professions-based learning.

[10:10] Corey reflects on his six years at Blue Valley and what first interested him in CAPS.

[13:51] Corey elaborates on what the impetus was for CAPS becoming a national network.

[18:08] Jessica shares an important resource with listeners: the Getting Through microsite.

[18:48] Shameka shares her insights on how their learning opportunities now are better for young people because of their CAPS affiliation, compared to five years ago.

[20:20] Would Shameka say that there are more young people in career education now more than ever?

[21:20] How many students take classes at the Little Rock Technology Park?

[22:00] Shameka elaborates on how the impact of being at CAPS is not only classes at the Tech Park but a change and expansion of the offerings at each of the five high schools.

[23:15] Corey shares how other school districts join their network and upgrade their career education through their affiliation.

[26:47] Shameka explains how and why this applied, hands-on, community-connected learning is making a major difference for young people in Little Rock.

[28:36] Corey shares what is next for the CAPS network.

[33:00] Shameka reflects on the downsides and benefits of working remotely currently.

[33:29] Tom thanks Corey and Shameka for joining the Getting Smart podcast!

 

Mentioned in This Episode:

Blue Valley Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS)

Little Rock School District

NetWork Kansas

Better Together: How to Leverage School Networks For Smarter Personalized and Project Based Learning, by Tom Vander Ark and Lydia Dobyns

Northland CAPS Community

Park City CAPS

GettingSmart.com/GettingThrough

Little Rock Technology Park

Mainstream Technologies

 

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