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Kentucky Business & Marketing Educators!  

Registration Open for Refocus and Recharge: Business and Marketing Strategies for Student Success

Don't miss the amazing two-day workshop Refocus and Recharge: Business and Marketing Strategies for Student Success designed to refresh and recharge business and marketing teachers with essential knowledge and strategies for a successful school year!

Day 1: Diving into the core

Day 1 will dive into the core of the classroom role. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the curriculum, explore effective strategies for End of Program (EOP) Assessment success and discover valuable classroom resources to enhance teaching.

Day 2: Mastering engagement and management

Day 2 focuses on practical application. Participants will learn engaging instructional techniques to effectively assess student learning and master crucial classroom management skills. Plus, a dedicated Q&A and discussion session will be held to address all questions.

Attendance is required for both days to gain the full benefit of this training. This workshop will be hosted in Elizabethtown on Sept. 15 and 16. Registration is now open and seats are limited. Register on the Refocus and Recharge KY Learning Hub web page.

This technical update training is hosted by the Kentucky Department of Education's Office of Career and Technical Education (OCTE) Business and Marketing Program area. For more information, please contact Angela Rush, Business and Marketing Program Consultant with OCTE. 

8/15/2025

Registration Open: Empowered workshop for business and marketing teachers

Join Kentucky business and marketing teachers as Empowered trainers provide a one-day training session for educators to help teachers utilize Empowered's instructional strategy (PMM: Principles + Markets = Mindset) to create more personalized and engaging learning experiences for their students. This training will be interactive and engaging, mirroring the approach teachers should use in their classrooms.

Administrators are invited to register with their business and marketing teacher to experience Empower and how it can be used in the school setting.

The training will be held on Sept. 23 in Frankfort. Registration is now open.

This technical update training is hosted by the Kentucky Department of Education's Office of Career and Technical Education (OCTE) Business and Marketing Program area. For more information, please contact Angela Rush, Business and Marketing Program Consultant with OCTE. 

8/15/2025

Digital Literacy: A Cornerstone for Kentucky's Workforce

The Business and Marketing program remains steadfast in its commitment to offering 060112 Digital Literacy, a course highly valued by Kentucky business and industry partners. This course is crucial for workforce readiness in business and marketing pathways, primarily due to its intensive focus on essential Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.

Each year, business and industry representatives are invited to participate in Futuring Panels to provide feedback on emerging trends, critical skillsets and valuable certifications. These professionals also contribute to the Business and Marketing Program Area's Business Education Alignment Taskforce, which functions similarly to local advisory boards. Across these forums, feedback consistently underscores the increasing importance of digital literacy and comprehensive training in the Microsoft Office Suite.

The significance of Microsoft Office Specialist certifications, especially those focused on Excel, has been consistently highlighted. These certifications were cited as valuable in the:

• 2022 Hospitality and Tourism Futuring Panel

• 2023 Supply Chain Management Futuring Panel

• 2024 Administrative Support and Management/Entrepreneurship Futuring Panel

• 2025 Finance and Accounting Futuring Panel

During the 2023 Supply Chain Management Futuring Panel, professionals specifically noted that MS Excel, PowerPoint and Teams are routinely used in Supply Chain Management (SCM) careers and general business operations. Furthermore, SCM employees require a strong foundation in general computer literacy, extending beyond mere familiarity with standalone applications.

In the 2024 Administrative Support and Management/Entrepreneurship Futuring Panel, industry representatives emphatically stressed the need for Kentucky programs to provide students with robust training opportunities in Microsoft Office Suite applications, emphasizing Excel. Many futuring panel participants expressed a clear preference for Excel over other spreadsheet applications, citing its superior capabilities for data visualization and analysis, sales tracking, inventory management and other vital tasks.

In the 2025 Finance and Accounting Futuring Panel, participants underscored the critical importance of a high-level command of Microsoft Excel combined with data mining and analysis skills, particularly given the growing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the workplace. Employees must be equipped to analyze AI-generated output for accuracy and completeness.

Considering this consistent and compelling feedback from Kentucky's business and industry leaders, Digital Literacy will unequivocally remain a cornerstone course within business and marketing pathways.

For more information, contact Angela Rush, Business and Marketing program consultant.

7/11/2025

Understanding Your School-Based Enterprise

School-based enterprises (SBE) are a vibrant and adaptable learning tool that many Kentucky schools use in connection with their pathways.

These enterprises provide students with hands-on experience in real-world business operations, allowing them to apply classroom knowledge in practical settings. By participating in SBEs, students gain valuable skills in areas such as marketing, finance and management, which are essential for their future careers.

The  Work-Based Learning Manual serves as an excellent resource for educators and administrators, offering guidance on how to effectively integrate SBEs into curriculum and maximize the benefits for students.

Moreover, SBEs foster a sense of entrepreneurship and innovation among students, encouraging them to think creatively and develop solutions to real-world problems. These enterprises not only enhance students' academic learning but also prepare them for the workforce by providing opportunities to develop critical soft skills such as teamwork, communication and problem-solving.

As with all forms of work-based learning (WBL), the SBE model is flexible by design to allow your school community the ability to create the enterprise that best suits your needs. However, there are some guidelines one must adhere to when scheduling and planning. Here are a few things you should pay close attention to when scheduling and planning your SBE:

• Scheduling students into the experience:

  • The SBE model in Kentucky allows for much flexibility when working the SBE into your curriculum. The intention is for the SBE to be embedded into already existing courses inside your aligned pathway. This means you will not find any SBE course codes in the Program of Studies. Instead, each of your existing pathway courses can work together to fill the needed roles in the business.

  • It is also important to note that while working in an SBE is excellent experience for your students, the experience is considered co-curricular and does not fit into the state accountability model pursuant to KRS 158.6455. Therefore, you need to avoid using internship or co-op codes when registering students to work in your SBE. More details about this can be found in the FAQ Co-op Internship for State Accountability

• Choosing the products your SBE will sell:

  • As detailed in the Work-Based Learning Manual, your SBE can take many forms. The goal is to find a need in your community and work with your students to fill that need. However, one basic thing all teenagers “need” is a snack! Many of our schools provide reasonably priced treats for our students to enjoy. When doing so, please remember we must align with the USDA Smart Snack Guidance that can be found at 7 CFR 210.11 and the state regulations found at 702 KAR 6:090 stipulating the time frames in which competitive foods may be sold. Please refer to this Competitive Food Sales document to help keep your much appreciated snack selection within the state and federal guidelines.

• Developing a system for collecting your revenue:

  • The goal of most SBEs is to make money to support the department and your students. In doing so, you provide valuable lessons in commerce to your students. Please refer to this Redbook Compliance document and speak directly to your school bookkeeper when developing a process for collecting the revenue earned at your SBE.

With the support of administration and your community, schools can create a dynamic and engaging learning environment that empowers students to succeed in their chosen career paths. Embrace the power of school-based enterprises and watch your students thrive!

5/08/2025

New website aims to help Kentuckians explore education and career options

(FRANKFORT, KY) – Kentuckians now have a one-stop-shop for finding answers on career and education questions. During a “virtual ribbon-cutting” ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda on Feb. 4, leaders from the Commonwealth Education Continuum launched the website, Futuriti.org. This new platform aims to help Kentuckians “find their future” by providing state-specific data about the numerous career paths and education options available to them.

“There are many online education and career resources available to Kentuckians, but there has never been a mechanism to connect the dots to help them capitalize on all the opportunities available,” said Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, co-chair of the Continuum. “This is a groundbreaking website that breaks down silos and provides access and opportunity to Team Kentucky.”

The development of this career and college access platform began in 2021, following the recommendations of the Continuum, which called for a website and communications campaign aimed at connecting Kentucky’s middle and high school students, as well as adult learners, with advising resources and information regarding early postsecondary opportunities, postsecondary institutions, career pathways, financial aid information.

“Futuriti will help us meet our attainment goal of 60% of the population with a postsecondary credential by 2030,” said Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE)  President and Continuum Co-Chair Aaron Thompson. “There are no sites like Futuriti in other states, and I am thrilled that Kentuckians can begin finding their futures with this incredible tool.”

The newly launched website features an interactive portal, called Future Finder, that can be used to explore:

• Job descriptions and wages for more than 700 careers;

• Highlights of in-demand careers;

• Cost, completion and debt information on all public and private universities, community colleges and technical schools;

• The majors offered at Kentucky public and private universities; and

• Career pathways offered at each Kentucky high school and technical center.

CPE has led this work, with assistance from the Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS) and the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE). Feedback was gathered from students, education and workforce professionals, and other members of the Commonwealth Education Continuum to ensure the website is user-friendly for all audiences and contains all the information needed to make career, education and training decisions.

“Not only will this website help students understand what career options are available to them,” said KDE Commissioner and Continuum Co-Chair Robbie Fletcher, “it also will capture the imaginations of students who are still in the early stages of planning what they want to do after graduation. Setting a career goal early can help motivate students to new levels of success in their academic studies.”

The website is organized into three main sections that are designed to lead Kentuckians through the process of choosing a career path, continuing their education and starting their career. Within the education section, there are tips and tools connecting students with financial aid and scholarship information, and direct links to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority’s website. There is also an archive of resources to assist educators, parents, counselors and others in answering their questions.

Kentuckians also have the ability to better understand the high demand jobs in their regions through Futuriti. The KYSTATS database includes labor market information that helps users to understand how regional workforce needs can differ.

Preliminary marketing funding for Futuriti was made possible by a $13,000 grant from the NASH Catalyst Fund. The Catalyst Fund aims to lift up examples of “systemness” that advance educational opportunity and excellence through collaborations that span the educational continuum from pre-K through postsecondary education.

“Futuriti is meant not just to be a campaign to encourage higher education, but to be a culture shift that will merge the separation between high school, college and careers into one systematic approach to building a well-educated Kentucky workforce with increased educational attainment and labor force participation rates that meet or exceed the national average,” said Amanda Ellis, vice president of Student Access and Success at CPE.

3/20/25

Invest Insurance Curriculum FREE to Kentucky Teachers

The Invest – Insurance Education for Future Leaders curriculum is now free and available to all business and marketing teachers in Kentucky. This curriculum is part of the approved Invest – Insurance Education for Future Leaders 080720 course as an option for any school offering a four-course sequence for the Financial Services CIP 52.1908.00 pathway in the 2025 – 2026 Program of Studies.

Invest can also be used as an independent study for the Business and Marketing
TRACK/Apprenticeship Program - General Insurance Associate. Students will utilize the Invest Curriculum supplied by the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (the Big "I"). Topics covered include an introduction to insurance, managing risk, marketing and selling insurance, insurance agency operations and issues in auto insurance. Leadership development will be provided through Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and/or DECA. 

For more information, contact Angela Rush, Business and Marketing Program Consultant or Mary Pat Hartman with the Association for Independent Agents | Big I Kentucky.

2/7/25