How Are Online CTE Programs Closing
Real-World Gaps? Insights EdTech Can’t Miss.

For years, Career and Technical Education (CTE) thrived in physical classrooms, workshops, and the kind of spaces where students could build real-world skills. That model worked, especially for trades and hands-on professions. But it also came with limits: access depended on location, staff availability, and scheduling. Students in remote areas, or those balancing jobs and family responsibilities, often got left out.

Then, with the pandemic, what started as emergency remote learning pushed CTE into the virtual world. At first, it seemed like a poor substitute. To think of teaching welding or cosmetology over Zoom seemed unrealistic.

But teachers got creative. Kits were delivered. Experts joined classes online. And something unexpected happened: online CTE started reaching more students, in more flexible ways, than ever before.

What used to be hands-on-only, industry-rooted courses in physical classrooms are now increasingly taught online. It’s happening in districts like Anchorage, Alaska, where Adam Reid teaches full-time CTE online. In a podcast conversation full of practical insights, Adam shared what’s working, what’s tough, and what edtech companies building for K–12 and CTE should really pay attention to.

If you’re building tools or curriculum for CTE in virtual formats, this is a moment to pay attention.

Real-World Exposure Beats Rigid Certification

One big shift edtech teams should understand: online CTE isn’t about turning learners into job-ready prospects. It’s about them getting something beyond the credit.

While some programs used to chase certificates for students, even the industry began pushing back. The focus now is on introducing students to possible futures, not rushing them to the finish line.

This shift changes how platforms should be built. Instead of delivering strict test-based learning, virtual CTE tools should simulate real-world situations, offer choices, and help students figure out what clicks with them.

Online CTE Means Fewer Options but Better Experience

The online class model didn’t last, but it taught districts something important: access alone isn’t enough. You need structure to make it work.

Eventually, course offerings were narrowed to focus on depth. That didn’t shrink access; it made the system more manageable and more meaningful for students.

The lesson here for edtech? Tools must support broad access without overwhelming the people delivering the experience. Think about simplifying teacher dashboards, reducing prep duplication, and clustering students for better interaction.

Community-Driven CTE Design Works Best

CTE models focus on local job needs like natural resources, education, hospitality, and law enforcement. And students were interested because they could see real pathways.

This local-first approach should shape product design. Curriculum libraries, content templates, and career exploration tools should be adaptable to local economies and community needs and not stuck with pre-baked national defaults.

Some classes, like digital design or forensic science, work great online. Others, like welding or cosmetology, are harder to replicate. But Adam’s approach is to do what you can, with the tools you have, and add human support where tech falls short.

Online Can Bring In Industry Experts

One benefit of online programs is that it’s easier to get industry professionals involved. Teachers can invite guest speakers or run one-off Zoom sessions, even if those experts wouldn’t step into a classroom full-time.

Adam shared how a state ballistics expert joined his forensic science class virtually to explain how bullet matching works in real crime investigations.

That’s a signal to edtech teams: your platform should make it easy for teachers to invite in outside voices. Think about one-click guest links, screen-sharing features, or even built-in video hubs for expert-led modules.

Students Need More Than Content, They Need Connection

One of the most consistent themes in understanding CTE is the importance of connection. Online students aren’t all the same. Some are working full-time to support their families. Others are traveling with their parents or living in remote places. Their reasons for learning online are personal.

This means teachers need to be flexible by offering office hours at night, answering messages outside regular school hours, and building relationships beyond just grading.

The tech takeaway? Build tools that support asynchronous communication, but don’t skip the human side. Auto-graded quizzes and discussion boards aren’t enough. Features that support voice messages, flexible check-ins, or even birthday reminders can help teachers stay human at scale.

Simpler Is Sometimes Smarter

Not every CTE course needs fancy simulations. Adam’s most unexpectedly successful online class? Forensic science. Students set up crime scenes in their homes and built on them as the course progressed.

It was hands-on, it sparked curiosity, and it worked even without all the high-end tech.

This is a big insight: product teams don’t always need to chase complexity. A well-structured prompt or a creative offline assignment can sometimes do more than a fully virtual lab.

Teach Students How To Use AI Well

If a student writes their own work and uses AI to clean it up? That’s OK. That’s learning.

“To me, that’s a good use of AI. You’re doing the learning and have technology help you refine it.” Says Adam.

But he’s also honest about the challenges. AI detectors aren’t always reliable. Students feel pressure. Teachers need more clarity on where the lines are.

For curriculum developers, this means it’s time to bake AI literacy into course goals and give teachers support on how to talk about it. AI shouldn’t be hidden from students. It should be part of their learning journey.

Relationships and Results Win Over Tech

Adopting new edtech tools takes time, especially for online programs that already feel “outside the system.” Adam credits his administrators for going to bat for the team, but says the process is still slow.

The goal should be to try online learning for yourself. See what it feels like. And if you’re building tools for these decision-makers, lead with the outcomes.

In Anchorage, students taking two CTE concentrator classes graduate at rates close to 97%. That’s the kind of number that gets attention.

Final Takeaway: Build for the Real World

Adam’s advice for product teams? Keep going, but don’t lose sight of the end user — the student who’s working all day and learning at night, or the teacher who’s juggling 250 students across 10 different subjects.

Don’t build for an ideal user, build for the student juggling work and school, and the teacher.

The best edtech tools are flexible, human-centered, and rooted in the reality of today’s classrooms. They don’t just deliver content. They build options. They allow for adaptation. And they reflect the reality of teaching and learning, not just the theory. Want to learn more about CTE? Learn here.