Hosted by Montana TSA in partnership with Montana SkillsUSA and the Montana OPI-CTAE Unit. The professional development event delivered an immersive, forward-looking professional development experience designed to empower teachers and transform classrooms. Educators didn't just listen to lectures they rolled up their sleeves and engaged directly with the tools driving today's industrial and technological sectors.

Connecting High-Tech Careers to the Classroom

The conference also highlighted emerging career pathways, placing a major spotlight on photonics, one of Montana’s fastest-growing sectors. In specialized sessions sponsored by the Headwaters Tech Hub and Salish Kootenai College, Dr. Amanda Bastoni introduced free, classroom-ready modules designed to teach lab safety, student ownership, and professional research behaviors. 

Teachers paired this curriculum with direct industry context during the MSU Photonics Tours, visiting the Montana Microfabrication Facility, the Levitated Optomechanics Lab, and the Optical Remote Sensor Lab to discuss workforce alignment with leading university researchers.

To ensure core technical fields remained central to the update, Roberta Tilleman (Montana SkillsUSA State Director) coordinated an offsite look at Local Skilled Trades, taking teachers to the Morton Building Center in Belgrade and an active jobsite in Big Sky to study modern construction infrastructure firsthand. 

Finally, Dr. Bastoni led a practical session on Drones in the Classroom, where teachers flew interactive drone orbs and learned flight management strategies. Through these diverse workshops, educators left with concrete lessons and industry connections to help students build highly marketable, transferable technical skills.

Missed Out This Year? Don't Make the Same Mistake Twice!

Mark Your Calendars: Join Us Next June (2027) in Bozeman, MT! The ITE Summer Update is more than just professional development, is a community. Don't miss your chance next summer to collaborate with a powerful statewide cohort of educators, tour relevant industry/labs, gain direct industry insights, and walk away with ready to use resources.

Conference Partners:

• Montana TSA: Jesse Gray (jesse@montanatsa.com)

• Montana OPI - CTAE Unit: Kaitlin Trutzel (kaitlin.trutzel@mt.gov)

A key component of the conference was the opportunity for educators to engage directly with industry leaders through tours of local businesses. Participants visited RDO Equipment Co., where they got to operate heavy machinery and learn about construction equipment. They also toured Williams Construction and Plumbing, gaining hands-on experience with plumbing and machine simulators. A visit to the Gibson Guitar Co.'s acoustic factory provided a unique look into the meticulous process of crafting guitars from start to finish. These tours offered valuable insights into real-world operations, bridging the gap between classroom theory and professional practice.

The ITE Summer Update conference served as an essential platform for professional development, collaboration, and networking among educators. By staying current with evolving industry standards and learning new teaching methods, participants can better equip their students for future careers. The conference fostered an environment of continuous learning and professional growth, which is vital for maintaining a high standard of education in the industrial technology field. All ITE educators are encouraged to mark their calendars for the next ITE Summer Update in June 2026.

For the first time, this event was jointly hosted by the Montana Technology Student Association, Montana SkillsUSA, and Montana OPI, enabling a wider range of content and enhanced support for industrial tech educators.

Workshops during the event focused on Advanced Manufacturing, STEM, Transportation, Distribution & Logistics, Construction & Design, and Welding & Fabrication, emphasizing hands-on learning and the establishment of a supportive teacher network. The implementation of pathway-driven workshops' goal was to provide teachers with the opportunity to focus on specialized content areas.

Workshops during the event focused on Advanced Manufacturing, STEM, Transportation, Distribution & Logistics, Construction & Design, and Welding & Fabrication, emphasizing hands-on learning and the establishment of a supportive teacher network. The implementation of pathway-driven workshops' goal was to provide teachers with the opportunity to focus on specialized content areas.

We wish to express our appreciation to all presenters and participants of the Industrial Technology Education Summer Update. The positive feedback received from the exit survey indicates that valuable insights were gained from the event. We hope that this conference will continue to expand and become a highlight in the professional development calendar for Industrial Technology Education. We look forward to seeing you at the next ITE Summer Update!