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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 3rd, 2026
Contact: McKenna Gregg, Montana Office of Public Instruction
Superintendent Hedalen Celebrates CTE Month with Focus on Career Readiness
HELENA, Mont.—February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, and Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Susie Hedalen is highlighting the importance of work-based learning, Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs), and career readiness as key components of student success after high school.
“Career and Technical Education ensures students can connect what they learn in the classroom to real-world experiences that will set them up for success after high school,” Superintendent Hedalen said.
CTE programs in Montana provide students with structured pathways that combine academic learning with real-world experience. Work-based learning opportunities including internships, apprenticeships, and structured partnerships with local employers allow students to explore careers, develop professional skills, earn credentials and certifications, and make informed decisions about their futures.
During the 2025 legislative session, Superintendent Hedalen supported key efforts to strengthen Montana’s system of Career and Technical Education, including:
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House Bill 357, which expands funding for career and technical education in middle schools, giving students earlier exposure to career pathways and helping them begin career exploration at a younger age.
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House Bill 252, which supports work-based learning, attainment of industry recognized credentials, and dual credit opportunities aligned with career pathways. The OPI is working with the Montana University System and Department of Labor & Industry to align and catalog dual credit and industry credential options for students as well as to produce guidance materials for employers, schools, and families.
“These steps move Montana closer to a system where every student has access to meaningful career exploration and work-based learning in middle and high school,” Hedalen said. “When students connect classroom learning to real-world settings, they become engaged, confident learners who are better prepared to succeed after graduation.”
Superintendent Hedalen noted that CTE Month is an opportunity to reinforce a broader goal: ensuring Montana’s education system prepares students for life after high school by strengthening connections between schools, employers, and communities.
As schools and communities across the state recognize CTE Month, Superintendent Hedalen thanks educators, business partners, and local leaders for their collaboration and commitment to student career readiness.
“Work-based learning and career readiness are critical to Montana’s future,” Hedalen said. “By working together, we can create pathways that help students thrive and meet the needs of our state’s workforce.”
Of the 45,000 high school students in Montana, over 36,000 students enroll in CTE courses. Students in CTE programs are more engaged, graduate high school at higher rates, earn industry-recognized credentials, and are more likely to complete post-secondary education and training programs that lead to higher lifetime income earning.
We are thankful for all the partnerships across the state in this area and hope to align efforts for increased opportunities in every communit.
For more information about Montana Career and Technical Education, visit: https://opi.mt.gov/Educators/Teaching-Learning/Career-Technical-Education
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