From Classroom to Career: Tatiana Ciccarelli on CTE, Durable Skills, and Real-World Readiness

In this episode of Solve for X, host Dr. Rick Fernandez welcomes Tatiana Ciccarelli, National Solutions Director at Edmentum. A former special education and middle school math teacher from New York City, Tatiana shares how her classroom experience, family conversations about money, and leap into edtech shaped her view of what real college and career readiness should look like for today’s students.From portraits of a graduate and durable skills to VR-driven trades training and virtual internships, this episode dives into how districts can rethink CTE—not as a track for “some students,” but as life readiness for all. You’ll hear how schools can partner with local businesses, leverage trusted vendors, and use technology to create pathways where students graduate employable, adaptable, and prepared to pivot in a fast-changing economy.What You’ll Learn- Why every educator has “the longest CTE experience ever” just by being in schools- How early conversations about financial literacy, ROI, and student debt can change postsecondary choices- What “durable skills” (grit, resilience, numeracy, financial literacy) students need to navigate multiple careers- Ways to use VR, virtual internships, and community partnerships to make trades and pathways relevant- Why tight budgets make flexible, educator-first partners more important than everEpisode Timestamps00:00 Texas hot sauce cold open & welcome to Solve for X00:30 Meet Tatiana Ciccarelli, National Solutions Director at Edmentum01:23 From family of educators to special education math teacher in NYC03:17 Leaving the classroom and discovering transferable skills07:34 CTE trends, portraits of a graduate, and durable skills10:10 Rebranding CTE and talking ROI, debt, and “life readiness”18:12 Virtual internships, VR for trades, and overcoming logistics25:13 Leveraging business partners and vendors for student pathways30:42 Who’s the family “CEO” and closing reflectionsConnect with UsHost’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-rick-fernandez-40692434/Special ThanksTo Tatiana Ciccarelli and the Edmentum team for their work advancing CTE, durable skills, and educator-first solutions that help students move confidently from classroom to career.Stay ConnectedFollow, like, and subscribe to Solve for X for more stories where curiosity meets collaboration.Until next time—keep asking the right questions, and keep solving for X.