Round Rock Chamber, Round Rock ISD Present at CTAT Winter Leadership Conference

Zach Scott, senior director of workforce and industry development at the Round Rock Chamber, and Peggy Mica, assistant director of Career & Technical Education at Round Rock ISD, recently presented at the Career and Technical Association of Texas Winter Leadership Conference, sharing how strategic collaboration between education and industry is driving student success.

Their session highlighted how Round Rock ISD’s Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs work hand-in-hand with the Chamber to create meaningful, workforce-aligned opportunities for students and educators alike. Together, the district and Chamber have built a model partnership centered on real-world exposure, employer engagement, and talent pipeline development.

Key joint initiatives include:

• The Apprenticeship & Trades Fair, which connects students directly with skilled trades and industry employers
• The Teacher Externship Program and Teacher Site Visits, which immerse educators in local businesses to strengthen classroom-to-career connections
• Coffee Connections networking events that foster dialogue between educators and industry leaders
• Other projects such as the RANGER Construction Academy that provided construction experience to RRISD students in previous years

The presentation emphasized that sustained collaboration between school districts and business communities is essential to preparing students for high-demand careers. The presentation offered a replicable framework for communities across Texas seeking to align education pathways with workforce needs while strengthening regional economic development.

We would like to thank Round Rock ISD for the opportunity to participate in this. If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please reach out to Zach Scott at zscott@roundrockchamber.org.