Career Literacy and Middle School Engagement with Rahsaan Bartet

Rahsaan Bartet joins the NCLA Podcast to discuss career literacy and the importance of introducing career exploration in middle school. He shares his own career journey, insights on helping students make informed decisions about their futures, and strategies for integrating career-driven education into classrooms. Rahsaan started his career in education as a member of City Year, an AmeriCorps program, where he dedicated a year of service in Cleveland, Ohio, helping students stay in school and prepare for college and careers. After City Year, he worked in the Youth Services Department at Goodwill, connecting young people ages 16-24 with community services through a federal WIOA grant. His experience includes roles at JobCorps and in private post-secondary education. Currently, Rahsaan is the Elementary and Community Liaison at Western Maricopa Education Center (West-MEC), a Career and Technical School District in Glendale, Arizona. He leads initiatives that bring career literacy into elementary and middle schools, ensuring students gain early exposure to career pathways. He is passionate about helping people achieve their version of the American dream through career and technical education. Rahsaan has been actively involved in career and technical education at the national level through the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) as a conference presenter, mentor, and New and Related Services Section lead. He has also served in leadership roles, including ACTE - Arizona (President), Opportunities for Youth (Chair), and TradeUp (Board Member). Tune in to learn how career literacy is shaping the future of CTE and how educators can support students in discovering their potential. Connect with Rahsaan Bartet and West-MEC:Facebook: facebook.com/westmecX (Twitter): x.com/westmecInstagram: instagram.com/westmec Contact: Chris Cook – [email protected] Want to be a guest or suggest a topic? Email: [email protected]