What is Career and Technical Education?

Nichole Thiel

An active member of the National Education Association, school administrator Nichole Thiel previously served as a vice principal and dean’s assistant in elementary school and higher education. Nichole Thiel graduated with a master’s degree in career and technical education (CTE) and spent more than a decade helping students navigate their post-school career options as a CTE teacher.

CTE programs have regained popularity in secondary and post-secondary institutions as a reaction to the need for technically-skilled workers and the rising number of students who enter college but leave before obtaining a degree.

Effective CTE programs offer a rigorous curriculum aligned with up-to-date industry needs. High school programs usually combine technical training with core academic subjects, while CTE certification programs enable students to specialize in specific subjects. CTE programs may offer concentrations in engineering, business, cosmetology, or welding.

Most CTEs partner with the local private sector to arrange internships, hands-on experience, and post-program employment opportunities. According to federal data, the number of high school students enrolled in CTE courses rose by nearly one million between 2007 and 2017. Most CTE post-secondary training programs are cheaper than a traditional four-year degree. However, graduates can make equal to or greater than their college-educated peers.

The Importance of Leaders Making Employees Feel Safe and Trusted

Nichole Thiel

A longtime Coeur d’Alene, Idaho resident, Nichole Thiel has experience with the Idaho Leadership Institute and has informed education policy and planning in her work with several schools. Results focused, Nichole Thiel enjoys watching TED Talks and gleaning insight from thought leaders in business and academia.

A 2014 presentation by management theorist Simon Sinek on the topic “Why good leaders make you feel safe” drew attention to the necessity of, and challenges inherent in, creating a circle of trust, particularly in uncertain economic times. He contrasts the military sphere, where people are given medals for “sacrificing so that others may gain,” with the business sphere, where the opposite often occurs.

If one looks back over human history, what Sinek terms “a circle of safety” was a critical element in safeguarding against outside dangers. Within the business sphere, dangers are not elemental, but related to competition, new technologies, and other disruptors.

These variables are not going away, but one way of exposing the organization to much greater risk is to neglect the dangers from within. One major indication of employees not feeling safe is over-adherence to the rules, as there is a sense that sticking one’s neck out or acting independently could result in loss of employment.

At the core of this is a lack of trust in the leaders. The time and energy expended in protecting oneself from other members of the same team works to the detriment of the operation as a whole. The leader who makes employees feel safe allows them to naturally combine strengths and talents in ways that benefit the group will also often see his business or organization prosper as a result.

Successful Leadership in a Complex, Globalized World

Nichole Thiel

Nichole Thiel is a respected presence in the Coeur d’Alene, Idaho community who has extensive experience in organizational leadership. Having been active with the Idaho Leadership Institute for three years, Nichole Thiel has a particular interest in the experiences that have informed successful figures in business.

Speaking at a TED event, one veteran strategy consultant described leadership development programs that are based on past models as being a significant detriment to success in today’s business world. Conducting a study that spanned 4,000 companies, she found that a majority of businesses experienced major gaps when it came to filling critical leadership roles. This came despite significant expansion in leadership development expenditures.

A major reason turned out to be that, within a world of increased digital communication and transparency, a complex matrix approach is required to successfully navigate the intricacies of globalized workplaces and marketplaces. Traditional 360 performance assessments and performance criterion often result in a blindsiding, as core realities are ignored and false positives generated.

One effective approach involves bringing together different, often geographically diverse teams from within the organization to hash out the specific issues they are facing and place them within the corporate context. The end result is one of proactive course correction that addresses potential market shifts and organizational failures, before these challenges undermine the company’s core mission.

USPS’ Unique Tracking Service

Nichole Thiel contributed to the field of education by serving as a classroom instructor at the Timberlake High School and a professor at the University of Idaho. Recently, Nichole Thiel accepted a position at the United States Postal Service.

The U.S. Postal Service is an independent federal agency that provides delivery services to all 155 million residences, Post Office Boxes, and companies across the United States. The organization aims to connect people and businesses through a universal delivery service that prides in its reliability, efficiency, and affordability. As a technology-centric organization, the U.S. Postal Service makes use of the most advanced technology for tracking and information systems.

The USPS Tracking service offers end-to-end tracking of items to almost every domestic location. After scanning an item, the service generates a tracking number that comes along with the product’s postage, allowing the sender to track the item’s status including availability, delivery details, and delivery location.