About
Consulting, Support and Coaching Services by a colleague who has sat in your chair for 25 years
CTE Workforce Development Solutions has grown our of my passion for the career skills instruction we provide; it has been both my vocation and my avocation to connect our learners with opportunities for a stable, enriching quality of life.
L. Patrick Dail, EdD
Founder & Managing Director
More than 25 years of experience in designing, managing and finding funding for career skills programming ... with the sole mission of getting our learners connected with the workforce in a meaningful way as soon as they complete.
I began my career with the Community College of Baltimore County where I was asked to manage a US Dept of Labor-funded "high tech" manufacturing skills initiative intended to prepare women and men who had been laid off from General Motors, Bethlehem Steel, Western Electric and other important employers with new skills for the 20th Century economy. I learned how to draft monthly status reports for our local WIB partners; submit quarterly progress reports for our sponsors in Washington DC; hire, on-board and support technical professionals who were now mastering the instructional lab; and most importantly how to respond to our learners' emerging needs when family responsibilites and other demands looked as though they may distract them from successful program completion.
During the next economic crisis, in 2008-2009, I found myself leading continuing education programming with a community college in Tribeca, Lower Manhattan. When the housing bubble burst, my colleagues and I sidelined a popular personal interest portfolio of courses, and doubled-down on offering career assessment and counseling services, training for 11 specific roles in 4 different industries, and getting laid off men and women back to work as swiftly as possible. None of which could have happened without the dedication of my colleagues, commitment from our employer partner advisors, and funders who put their money where their mission and mouths were. Today, after 25 years of leading this work internally, I'm enthusiastic about supporting High Schools, Districts and Community Colleges across the country as they work through the challenges, and seize the opportunities available to us in mounting CTE programs, Career Pathways options and Dual Enrollment collaborations.
Philosophy
My Approach
“I don't come in with a pre-packaged solution. I come in to understand your context, your community, and your goals — and then we build something that actually fits.”
Strategic Vision First
All success begins with a roadmap, one that results from an effectively planned and managed strategic planning process. Let's look at the data, including creating it where needed, and engage relevant stakeholders - they want to help, they're waiting to be invited in.
Tactical Steps to Maximize Enrollment & Success
An effective CLNA or Strategic Program Planning process will help us identify funding opportunities to augment established budgets. They are also the first step toward designing experiential learning sessions which maximize student learning, as well as the recruitment practices that will speak to prospective students and their parents or guardians.
Building Leader Capacity
My leader coaching process has been drawn both from personal experience (I know a thing or two about imposter syndrome) as well as my doctoral studies. Working with my clients, we first ASSESS the challenge blocking us, DEVELOP alternative mindsets and practices to shift our thinking and behaviors, and REFLECT on early attempts to change our behaviors. All of which becomes muscle memory in short order.
Let's Start a Conversation
Whether you're navigating a specific challenge or looking for a long-term strategic partner, I'd welcome the opportunity to learn more about your programs and your goals.