I’m Steven Bross.

 

I’m the creator of CHAT-CTE and The CTE Teacher Hub — professional development built for CTE teachers, not education majors.

 

After 23 years in Career & Technical Education, one truth has followed me everywhere I’ve taught, coached, or presented: CTE teachers are some of the most capable educators in the building — and some of the least supported.

 

I know that because I’ve lived it.

I’ve built curriculum from scratch.

 

Managed programs, budgets, safety plans, certifications, and equipment held together by duct tape and optimism.

 

Mentored new teachers who were handed a key, a roster, and a “good luck.”

 

I’ve done the work — in classrooms, labs, shops, and leadership roles — and I’ve seen the same pattern over and over: CTE teachers ask for clarity, structure, and real support…
and the system sends PD that has nothing to do with hands-on classrooms.

 

So I built CHAT-CTE to fix that.

 

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Why CHAT-CTE Exists

CHAT-CTE was created to give CTE teachers what they’ve always needed but rarely received:

Practical, relevant support built specifically for how CTE classrooms actually work.

Not theory.
Not one-day drive-by PD.
Not content designed for academic classrooms and “adapted” later.

 

Just:

Practical PD

Curriculum and planning tools

AI support that saves time (not creates more work)

Templates you can use immediately

Honest conversations through the Shop Talk podcast

Courses designed for teachers who don’t have hours to waste

Everything here is built from experience — not guesswork.

 

How I Think About Teaching

These beliefs shape everything inside CHAT-CTE:

Trust beats tasks.
Students learn from people they trust — not perfect lesson plans.

Simplicity wins.
If you can’t use it tomorrow, it isn’t worth your time.

CTE is a craft.
We build thinkers, makers, and problem-solvers — not test-takers.

Teachers shouldn’t do this alone.
CTE was never meant to be a one-person show.

PD should feel personal.
Because the work you do is personal.

 

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Where This Is Headed

My goal is simple:

Build the system I wish existed when I started — and the tools I still wish existed today.

Over time, CHAT-CTE will grow into:

A complete curriculum system

Online courses for CTE teachers

A daily-use toolbox app

District-ready PD packages

A nationwide community of CTE educators

 

But at its core, CHAT-CTE will always be about one thing:

Helping CTE teachers survive, succeed, and enjoy the classroom again.

 

Whether you’re welding, cooking, coding, cutting hair, repairing engines, or teaching students how to run a business — this space was built for you.

 

I’m glad you’re here.

Because this is finally professional development built for CTE teachers — not education majors.

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