Turning Skills into Careers: BSC spotlights Career and Technical Education for CTE Month
Published: Feb 09 2026
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At Bismarck State College, Career and Technical Education (CTE) often begins with a student discovering a passion and ends with a career that supports families, communities and industries across North Dakota. During national CTE Month, BSC is highlighting how academic programs, partnerships and hands-on experiences help students reach those goals.
As North Dakota’s polytechnic institution, BSC integrates CTE into its academic model by combining classroom instruction with hands-on training and strong industry partnerships. The college’s approach emphasizes applied learning, stackable credentials and flexible pathways that allow students to develop and strengthen skills aligned with workforce needs.
“Career and Technical Education and BSC’s polytechnic mission are so closely connected,” says Interim President Dan Leingang. “Our programs are designed to meet workforce demands while giving students opportunities to advance their education at every stage of their careers. By working directly with industry partners, we help ensure our graduates are prepared to contribute immediately in the workplace.”
A cornerstone of BSC’s polytechnic model is its Business and Industry Leadership Teams (BILTs). These teams bring together employers and industry leaders who help guide BSC program and curriculum development to ensure graduates are prepared for current and emerging workforce demands.
BSC offers 110 technical program pathways leading to certificates, associate degrees and bachelor’s degrees. Students can begin with a short-term credential and continue to advanced degrees. BSC currently offers 14 bachelor’s degrees in career-focused fields such as cybersecurity, energy management and mechatronics engineering technology.
“Our programs are designed to provide students with options,” says Vice President for Academic Affairs Alicia Uhde. “Some students want to enter the workforce quickly, while others want to continue building credentials. Our polytechnic approach supports both goals and helps students move forward without losing progress.”
Enrollment trends reflect the growing demand for career-focused, technical education. Currently, more than 4,770 students are choosing BSC to further their education, and many are in programs that lead directly to employment in technical and workforce-driven fields.
Experiential learning remains a defining component of BSC’s technical programs. Students gain practical experience through internships, apprenticeships, project-based learning, clinicals and field experience opportunities developed in collaboration with industry partners.
“Technology and workforce expectations continue to evolve. Our programs are developed alongside industry partners to ensure students are learning with the same tools, equipment and technologies they will use in their careers,” says Mari Volk, dean of Current and Emerging Technologies.“
North Dakota is facing a widening workforce gap as job growth outpaces the number of available skilled workers, and technician-level roles in energy, manufacturing, healthcare and IT remain among the hardest to fill. By partnering with the state’s network of 20 CTE Centers and serving 73 secondary schools across western and central North Dakota, BSC delivers pathways into critical sectors and offers dual credit, hands-on, work-based learning, and credentialing aligned with employer needs.
Participation in CTE dual credit programs is having a measurable impact on high school students. Research shows that students, especially those from rural communities, who earn technical dual credit are substantially more likely to enroll in Associate of Applied Science degree programs and progress through credential pathways.
“Early exposure to technical education helps students see the connection between education and career opportunities,” says Jason Dockter, dean of Automation, Energy and Advanced Technologies. “Dual credit and industry partnerships help students build confidence while strengthening North Dakota’s workforce pipeline.”
BSC’s leadership in CTE is built on decades of collaboration. In 1974, BSC, then Bismarck Junior College, partnered with Bismarck Public Schools (BPS) to provide vocational education for both high school and college students through a shared Vocational Technical Center. The partnership expanded in 1983 to include additional technical programs.
In 2010, BPS opened North Dakota’s first dedicated CTE facility, the Career Academy, located adjacent to BSC’s Technical Center on the college campus. The 97,000-square-foot facility expanded opportunities for both college and high school students. Two years later, BSC and BPS established an articulation agreement allowing high school students to earn college credit toward BSC technical degrees. Today, students can complete nearly a full year of college coursework in programs such as mechatronics, instrumentation and industrial automation, electronics, and others before graduating from high school.
BSC’s workforce-focused approach to CTE has also received national attention. In 2023, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona visited the BSC National Energy Center of Excellence to learn how BSC’s partnerships are meeting workforce needs.
"These are among the best programs I’ve seen because they bring together partners from government, industry, K-12 education and higher education,” Cardona said during his visit. “They are a well-oiled machine and have an opportunity for continued growth.”
“BSC’s long-standing commitment to career and technical education continues to evolve alongside industry and student needs,” says Uhde. “By building on our history of technical education leadership and strengthening partnerships, we help students discover how their strengths and passions can lead to rewarding careers, right here in North Dakota.”