Language Is an Economic Asset-Global Career Tech Education Podcast Ep. 73 w/Michael Herrera
Tue Jan 27 2026
Language Is an Economic Asset-Global Career Tech Education Podcast Ep. 73 w/Michael Herrera
Episode Description
In Episode 73 of the Global CTE Podcast, host Sylvester Chisom sits down with Michael Herrera, Ed.D., Executive Director of Upper Bucks County Technical School, for a deep conversation on how Career and Technical Education can drive real economic mobility.
Together, they explore why alignment, not intention, is often the missing ingredient in education systems and how language becomes an economic asset when it is credentialed and trusted by employers. This episode reframes CTE as modern infrastructure designed to turn interest into impact, skills into wages, and education into dignity and opportunity.
Topics Covered
-Alignment Drives Economic Mobility
-One Talent Pipeline, Not Three
-Closing the Interest to Impact Gap
-Language as an Economic Asset
-CTE as Modern Civil Rights Infrastructure
Michael Herrera Bio:
Michael Herrera, Ed.D. is a senior education and workforce systems leader with more than two decades of experience working at the intersection of policy, practice, and economic mobility. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Upper Bucks County Technical School, where he leads a multi-district public CTE system focused on outcomes, accountability, and employer trust.Michael’s work centers on designing career-connected systems that translate education into real economic opportunity, including aligning technical skills, language, and work-based learning into a single talent pipeline. He is a national board member of the Association for Career & Technical Education (ACTE) and a leading voice on treating language as an economic asset when it is credentialed and trusted by employers.
Episode Chapters
00:00 Why this conversation matters right now
02:10 Michael Herrera’s path to systems leadership
04:16 Alignment drives economic mobility
06:05 The Interest to Impact gap
07:45 Measuring outcomes that matter
09:20 Starting career-connected learning earlier
10:48 Celebrating first jobs like signing day
12:22 Making CTE visible in the community
14:08 Students solving real-world problems
15:44 From trainees to contributors
18:58 Language as an economic asset
20:03 Credentialing language and employer trust
21:45 Language, safety, and real consequences
23:31 Breaking down silos between language and CTE
31:27 Why alignment beats hope
40:31 The future of CTE and economic dignity
More
Language Is an Economic Asset-Global Career Tech Education Podcast Ep. 73 w/Michael Herrera Episode Description In Episode 73 of the Global CTE Podcast, host Sylvester Chisom sits down with Michael Herrera, Ed.D., Executive Director of Upper Bucks County Technical School, for a deep conversation on how Career and Technical Education can drive real economic mobility. Together, they explore why alignment, not intention, is often the missing ingredient in education systems and how language becomes an economic asset when it is credentialed and trusted by employers. This episode reframes CTE as modern infrastructure designed to turn interest into impact, skills into wages, and education into dignity and opportunity. Topics Covered -Alignment Drives Economic Mobility -One Talent Pipeline, Not Three -Closing the Interest to Impact Gap -Language as an Economic Asset -CTE as Modern Civil Rights Infrastructure Michael Herrera Bio: Michael Herrera, Ed.D. is a senior education and workforce systems leader with more than two decades of experience working at the intersection of policy, practice, and economic mobility. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Upper Bucks County Technical School, where he leads a multi-district public CTE system focused on outcomes, accountability, and employer trust.Michael’s work centers on designing career-connected systems that translate education into real economic opportunity, including aligning technical skills, language, and work-based learning into a single talent pipeline. He is a national board member of the Association for Career & Technical Education (ACTE) and a leading voice on treating language as an economic asset when it is credentialed and trusted by employers. Episode Chapters 00:00 Why this conversation matters right now 02:10 Michael Herrera’s path to systems leadership 04:16 Alignment drives economic mobility 06:05 The Interest to Impact gap 07:45 Measuring outcomes that matter 09:20 Starting career-connected learning earlier 10:48 Celebrating first jobs like signing day 12:22 Making CTE visible in the community 14:08 Students solving real-world problems 15:44 From trainees to contributors 18:58 Language as an economic asset 20:03 Credentialing language and employer trust 21:45 Language, safety, and real consequences 23:31 Breaking down silos between language and CTE 31:27 Why alignment beats hope 40:31 The future of CTE and economic dignity