The Career Technology Education Council (CTEC) Annual Conference: Full Schedule

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7:30am PST

BREAKFAST

Saturday November 7, 2026 7:30am - 9:00am PST

Saturday November 7, 2026 7:30am - 9:00am PST
Coast Canmore Hotel & Conference Centre 511 Bow Valley Trail Canmore Alberta

8:00am PST

AGM

Saturday November 7, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PST

Ballroom - Coast Hotel

Saturday November 7, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PST
Ballroom - Coast Hotel

about <br>

9:00am PST

Educator Exchange Programs-Embrace New Perspectives and Embark on a Journey That Will Inspire, Inform and Transform

LIMITED

Saturday November 7, 2026 9:00am - 10:45am PST

Grizzly Room - Coast Hotel

Limited Capacity seats available

Teaching and leading is a remarkable journey, and an exchange can bring a wealth of insights to your practice. Learn how an exchange can inform your practice. What does skill development look like in Germany and Spain? How does Australia prepare their students for the workforce? Take home fresh perspectives and put them to use your own school and system. Open the door and get out of your comfort zone, engage in critical conversations, and experience first-hand how your peers engage with best practices. We will detail our short-term in-person exchanges, where you are hosted by your exchange partner for approximately ten days to observe their world, typically over your spring break or during summer. You then reciprocate by hosting your exchange partner. We also offer exciting virtual exchange opportunities, no travel required. Destinations for short-term exchanges include Australia, Spain, Germany, Mexico, Alberta Accredited International Schools, and Iceland (for school leaders). No language requirements to participate.

Speakers

Carolyn Freed

Exchange Liaison, The Alberta Teachers' Association

Carolyn Freed is the Educator Exchange Programs Liaison at the Alberta Teachers' Association, with over 10 years of experience coordinating international exchange programs. With a background in Communications and Technology, her focus is helping communities to learn from and with... Read More →

Saturday November 7, 2026 9:00am - 10:45am PST
Grizzly Room - Coast Hotel

General Interest

9:00am PST

Crochet Basics and Amigurumi

LIMITED

Saturday November 7, 2026 9:00am - 10:45am PST

Wolverine Room - Coast Hotel

Limited Capacity seats available

This session introduces participants to basic crochet stitches and simple amigurumi techniques. Educators will have time to practise foundational skills, begin a small project, and consider how crochet can support creativity, fine-motor development, mindfulness, and classroom community.

Speakers

Joy Santos

Joy Santos is an instructor in multiple departments at a polytechnic college in Edmonton, Alberta. With Bachelor's Degrees in Biological Sciences, Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Medicine. Joy values multidisciplinary learning and are passionate about creating meaningful and unconventional... Read More →

Saturday November 7, 2026 9:00am - 10:45am PST
Wolverine Room - Coast Hotel

MDC- Media Design and Communication Arts, CTF

9:00am PST

Engineering and Auto Mechanics

LIMITED

Saturday November 7, 2026 9:00am - 10:45am PST

Mechanic Shop - CCHS

Limited Capacity seats available

This session introduces participants to the basic engineering principles, calculations, and theory that underpin modern automotive systems. Through practical examples, we will explore how concepts such as force, torque, mechanical advantage, energy, motion, and material properties are applied to automotive design and repair. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of not only how automotive systems work, but also why they are designed and engineered the way they are.

Speakers

Jeramy Vandal

I am a formally trained Mechanical Engineer and a true gearhead at heart. I currently teach as an instructor at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), where I combine my engineering background with a passion for practical automotive mechanics. In this workshop, I look... Read More →

Saturday November 7, 2026 9:00am - 10:45am PST
Mechanic Shop - CCHS

TMT - Trades, Manufacturing and Transportation

9:00am PST

Cosmetology - Creating Various Up-Styles

LIMITED

Saturday November 7, 2026 9:00am - 11:45am PST

Cosmetology Lab - CCHS

Limited Capacity seats available

This session will include beginner to advance braiding, knots and updos.

Speakers

Shirley Rusin

Cosmetology teacher

My journey in the beauty industry began 40 years ago, as a hairstylist, barber and educator. For the past 35 years I have worked at Wetaskiwin Composite High School as a Cosmetology teacher. As a teacher, I believe in combining, industry-aligned theory with hands-on training. My goal... Read More →

Saturday November 7, 2026 9:00am - 11:45am PST
Cosmetology Lab - CCHS

HRH-Health, Recreation and Human Services

9:00am PST

Mix, Match & Make: Tee-riffic T - Shirt Edition

LIMITED

Saturday November 7, 2026 9:00am - 11:45am PST

Maker Space - CCHS

Limited Capacity seats available

Are you interested in learning about Sublimation and Direct to Film Printing? Join us for a hands‑on T‑shirt making session designed just for educators, where you’ll explore creative techniques—including Sublimation and Direct‑to‑Film (DTF) printing—to bring classroom-themed or personal designs to life. This workshop gives teachers a chance to experiment with multiple methods, learn the strengths of each. Whether you’re looking for fresh project ideas, team‑building inspiration, or simply a creative break, this relaxed, skill‑building session offers a fun way to learn, make, and connect.

Speakers

Philip Scott

Curriculum Consultant, Edmonton Catholic School Division

Philip Scott is a CTF/CTS/Careers Consultant with Edmonton Catholic Schools and is entering his 30th year in education. Over the years, he has taught everything from Physics and Chemistry to Humanities and Band, while spending much of his career immersed in CTF and CTS programming... Read More →

Wade Westworth

Wade is a recovering Social Studies teacher who has been teaching in Alberta for the past 28 years. For the past 15 years, his teaching assignment has been focused (pun intended) on photography, communication technology, and digital media. He currently teaches photography and communication... Read More →

Saturday November 7, 2026 9:00am - 11:45am PST
Maker Space - CCHS

MDC- Media Design and Communication Arts, CTF

9:00am PST

Skateboard Deck Design - CCHS

LIMITED

Saturday November 7, 2026 9:00am - 11:45am PST

Art Room - CCHS

Limited Capacity seats available

Learn how to make a wood skateboard deck in shop and paint a design on the finished deck. We will present how I have students make skateboards in my Grade 11 shop class. This will be an information session only. It takes too long to build a board but I will have all the things that you will need on hand so you can see all the different stages of making a skateboard from rough cut maple. This session may be connected to the design and artwork side of the creative process too.

Speakers

Erin Tysowski

Erin has been an art teacher in Rocky View School Division for 26 years. She went back to school mid career to get a MFA in Fine Arts at Emily Carr University. She has mainly taught Art 9 - 30 and Advanced Placement Art and Design. Alongside art, she has taught a variety of CTS courses... Read More →

Mike Brown

Teacher, CESD73

My name is Mike Brown and I teach CTF/CTS woodworking at Ecole Olds High School. I have been a teacher for 17 years and I have been a Woodworking/Industrial Arts teacher for 7. I have lived in Olds for 12 years and feel very fortunate to be teaching students the trades.

Saturday November 7, 2026 9:00am - 11:45am PST
Art Room - CCHS

TMT - Trades, Manufacturing and Transportation

11:00am PST

Building Student Portfolios That Open Doors: From the Classroom to the Workplace

LIMITED

Saturday November 7, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PST

Grizzly Room - Coast Hotel

Limited Capacity seats available

What if students could seamlessly connect classroom learning directly to their future career paths? In career and technology education, learning happens by doing—but effectively capturing that growth can be a challenge. In this session, we'll show how personalized digital portfolios transform career and technology education from Grade 5 all the way through to the workplace. Starting in CTF, students begin documenting real challenges, reflecting on their growth, and discovering where their strengths lie. By senior high, that same portfolio evolves into a powerful tool for exploration, reflection and goal-setting in CTS and CTR; becoming the "body of evidence" that RAP and Work Experience students need to demonstrate on-the-job competencies. Discover how moving beyond traditional grading to a living portfolio helps students articulate their skills to future employers and post-secondary institutions, all while saving valuable administrative time for off-campus coordinators.

Speakers

Liza Honcharova

Liza is a dynamic Partner Success and Development Manager with a background in post-secondary settings, who later chose to drive impact where it starts - in K–12 education. With a background in Behavioral Sciences specializing in child development, she helps school board leaders... Read More →

Saturday November 7, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PST
Grizzly Room - Coast Hotel

Apprenticeship, CTR- Career Transitions

11:00am PST

Protecting our Future: Safe and Healthy Teachers for Safe and Healthy Students

LIMITED

Saturday November 7, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PST

Caribou Room - Coast Hotel

Limited Capacity seats available

Every worker has occupational health and safety rights and responsibilities. Many teachers experience harassment and violence at work. Many of your students have after-school jobs or will soon enter the workforce. This session will cover essential workplace health and safety information to help you protect yourselves as educators and provide support to your students so that they are prepared to enter the workforce. We will cover worker and employer rights and responsibilities, identifying workplace hazards, psychosocial hazards, violence and harassment prevention, and ergonomics. Discover a range of resources available to support workers, young workers, parents, and employers, including training materials, educational printouts and where to find the legislation to ensure compliance with legislative standards to enhance workplace safety.

Speakers

Dave Wojcicki

GOA

Dave Wojcicki (Woe-jess-key) has worked with the Alberta Government for over 20 years as an Effective Practices Specialist with the OHS Strategic Evidence and Action team, and previously as an Occupational Health and Safety Officer. He is a Canadian Registered Safety Professional... Read More →

Saturday November 7, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PST
Caribou Room - Coast Hotel

Apprenticeship, CTR- Career Transitions

11:00am PST

The Pension Playbook: Win Your Retirement

LIMITED

Saturday November 7, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PST

Wolverine Room - Coast Hotel

Limited Capacity seats available

Unlock the clarity and confidence every educator deserves. In this session, you’ll discover how your pension fits into your full retirement strategy and how smart planning can boost your tax efficiency, increase your financial flexibility, and help you build a meaningful legacy for your family. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re truly making the most of your pension, this session will give you the bigger picture you’ve been missing.

Speakers

Mike Ong-Padilla

World Financial Group

Exiting the O&G industry due the pandemic, Mike turned the twin career of educating people in financial literacy into a fulltime career. Married with 3 kids he felt that there had to be more that could be done to get ahead. He and his family were introduced to strategies to more... Read More →

Saturday November 7, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PST
Wolverine Room - Coast Hotel

BIT - Business, Admin, Finance and IT

11:00am PST

Career Explorations - New Curriculum 7-9 Advanced Workshop 2.0

LIMITED

Saturday November 7, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PST

Squirrel Room - Coast Hotel

Limited Capacity seats available

CEFL Advanced Workshop - 2.0
- Assessment strategies
- Community Connections
- Resource review
- Project development 2

Speakers

Paul Bohnert

CTEC President, Career and Technology Education Council

Innovation in Education has been Paul's passion and focus for the past 30 years. He has shared his classroom and educational experiences with more than 15,000 educators and pre-service teachers across North America speaking at regional, national and international conferences/workshops... Read More →

Saturday November 7, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PST
Squirrel Room - Coast Hotel

CTF

11:00am PST

Going from CTS to CTF: It is Possible!

LIMITED

Saturday November 7, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PST

Cougar Room - Coast Hotel

Limited Capacity seats available

In this session we will go over how to reshape your mind from the CTS high school mindset to the CTF junior high. I will share examples from my teaching career and give you the outline to design the CTF program of your dreams. My goal with this session is to show you how a Jr. High Foods class can be more than smoothies and Crudités platters. *Note: the examples will be from Foods classes but the ideas behind it can be applied to any CTF classroom.

Speakers

Sara Nestorovich

Sara Nestorovich has been teaching since 2018. Since she started she has taught between two districts and 11 different schools with various diverse populations. Currently she teaches Foods 7 to 9 through a STEM lens at Father Michael Troy Junior High in Edmonton, AB. When she isn't... Read More →

Saturday November 7, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PST
Cougar Room - Coast Hotel

CTF, CTF

12:00pm PST

Lunch & Member Draw Finale!

Saturday November 7, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PST

Ballroom - Coast Hotel

Saturday November 7, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PST
Ballroom - Coast Hotel

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