New CORE Consultant Advocating For CTE Programs In UC

The Upper Cumberland’s newest CTE CORE Consultant said her goal is to ensure CTE programs across the region are benefiting students as much as possible.

CTE CORE Consultant Hailey Sullivan said her role is to help districts develop CTE policies, evaluate the effectiveness of different programs, and aid students with career pathway development. Sullivan said she works to ensure that students in these programs are learning skills that will serve them well in their future careers.

“So my focus is really on ensuring that our CTE programs align with industry demand, which would provide students with opportunities that are not only high skill and high wage, but also in high demand within our region,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan said she also serves as an advocate for CTE programs by educating others about their importance for students. She said she started her career in 2014 as a family and consumer sciences teacher at Jackson County High School, became the Jackson County School District’s nutrition director in 2020, and moved into the CTE CORE consultant role in November of 2023.

“While I might be relatively new to my role with the Tennessee Department of Education, my years of experience have very well equipped me for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in this career path,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan said CTE CORE consultants have been supporting the districts across the Upper Cumberland for quite some time. She said the “CORE” in “CORE office” stands for Centers of Regional Excellence.

“We’re unique in the position that we fall under the CORE office, but also the CCTE as well in the Tennessee Department of Education,” Sullivan said. “It provides personalized support to district leaders to bring significant improvements or changes to school systems around the state.”