Cindy Lockett knows that high school graduation is only one piece of the educational puzzle. As the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Director for Roane County Schools in Tennessee, Lockett has spent the past four years transforming how students prepare for life after the classroom. With over 18 years of dedicated experience in the CTE sector, her leadership is defined by a singular, powerful vision: bridging the gap between academic theory and real-world success.
Driving Purpose through Applied Learning
Lockett’s transition into CTE leadership was fueled by a desire to maximize student impact. While traditional academics form the foundation of education, Lockett views CTE as the critical framework that fills in the gaps.
“All students will be taking a step after their K-12 education is complete,” Lockett notes. Whether that next step is a university campus, a military deployment, or direct entry into the workforce, her goal is to ensure every student possesses a clear roadmap and the tangible skills necessary to achieve their potential.
Balancing Industry Demands with Student Passions
A hallmark of Lockett’s tenure is her data-driven approach to program development. To ensure Roane County’s curriculum remains relevant, she conducts extensive research on regional labor market trends and works hand-in-hand with the Roane Alliance chamber partner. For any CTE pathway to be offered, it must meet rigorous criteria: aligning with high-skill, high-wage, and highly in-demand regional careers.
However, Lockett understands that economic demand matters little without student engagement. To strike a perfect balance, her department regularly analyzes student career aptitude inventories, surveys classroom interest, and collaborates closely with teachers and building principals. This ensures the district offers programs that students are genuinely excited to join.
Innovation in Action
Under her guidance, Roane County has introduced and sustained several high-impact, innovative pathways designed to launch students directly into their careers. Key initiatives include:
- The East Tennessee Academic & Reading Program (ETARP), fostering foundational advancement.
- Roane Medical Partnerships, providing students with invaluable clinical exposure.
- Work-Based Learning (WBL) Placements, creating direct pipelines from high school classrooms straight into local industry employment.
To keep these programs running at the highest level, Lockett prioritizes absolute equity across the district. Her team works intentionally across departments to ensure all students—including those pursuing non-traditional career paths—have full access to these opportunities. Furthermore, she ensures that equipment and funding are distributed equally among schools, meaning every student utilizes the highest-quality materials regardless of their zip code.
Redefining Success and School Culture
For Lockett, testing scores and standard certifications only tell part of the story. She measures the true impact of Roane County’s CTE programs by tracking how effectively students matriculate into post-secondary education and secure relevant employment. By analyzing the long-term value of early post-secondary opportunity (EPSO) credits and industry certifications, she ensures the district’s investment yields real-world returns.
Beyond economic metrics, Lockett emphasizes that CTE fundamentally reshapes school culture and student engagement. “There are some students who are not motivated through traditional academic incentives, but will thrive and excel in a CTE classroom,” she explains. The hands-on nature of these courses serves as a vital hook, boosting daily attendance, driving participation, and motivating students to complete their diplomas.
A Message for the Community
To keep pace with rapidly changing industries, Lockett ensures her teaching staff receives continuous professional development, working closely with state program managers to adopt evolving curriculum standards seamlessly. It is all part of her comprehensive effort to show parents and community members the undeniable value of technical education. When asked about challenges the CTE program faces, Lockett took time to consider. In the end, Lockett shared she has experienced such strong support from legislatures, the local government, and school board that challenges were minimized. It is clear the community leaders of the county also see the benefit in the CTE programs Lockett is directing.
Lockett summarizes the CTE philosophy as an essential journey: career preparation through hands-on skill attainment, soft skills training, and post-secondary opportunities are the vital pieces that empower the next generation to thrive. Under Lockett’s leadership, Roane County Schools continues to transform the traditional K-12 experience. By blending real-world training with robust corporate and medical partnerships, the district ensures that graduation is not an end point, but a launching pad. Whether entering a university lecture hall, a military base, or the local workforce, Roane County’s students leave equipped with the tangible skills, industry credentials, and confidence needed to build a successful future.
Cindy Lockett serves as the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Director for Roane County Schools in East Tennessee. She is deeply committed to advancing career development by building strong pipelines between K–12 education, postsecondary institutions, and regional industries. Her work emphasizes seamless transitions from middle school to high school CTE pathways and expanded access to early postsecondary opportunities, including nationally recognized industry credentials, work-based learning experiences, and postsecondary enrollment.
Under her leadership, Roane County Schools has launched and expanded K–12 CTE programming through strategic partnerships with industry and higher education, creating clear pathways to employment and lifelong learning for students.
Mrs. Lockett believes all students deserve equitable access to high-quality education aligned with their college and career goals, free from barriers that limit opportunity or skill advancement.
Read the Full Interview Below:
TEC: What inspired you to pursue leadership in CTE, and what excites you most about the future?
Lockett: I wanted to pursue leadership in CTE because it is the area where I see the most impact for students. Once they have mastered their academic studies, CTE can fill in the gaps with career preparation—whether that looks like college, straight-to-workforce, or military routes. All students will be taking a step after their K-12 education is complete, and I wanted to be a part of the vision that helps them reach their goals and potential.
TEC: How do you ensure CTE programs align with both workforce demands and student interests?
Lockett: Our department works closely with the Roane Alliance chamber partner to understand timely workforce demands. In my role, I do extensive research on workforce forecasting through state and regional labor market data. For a program to be offered in our system, it must align with high-skill, high-wage, and/or in-demand jobs.
However, we know we cannot have programs if students are not in the class! We survey student interest, review career aptitude inventories, and speak directly with teachers and school leaders to gauge the programming we need for enrollment while meeting career expectations.
TEC: What are some innovative programs or pathways you’ve introduced to prepare students for careers?
Lockett: We’ve implemented several standout initiatives, including the East Tennessee Academic & Reading Program (ETARP), student placements at Roane Medical, and direct-to-work transitions through Work-Based Learning (WBL) placements.
TEC: How do you measure the success and impact of district programs beyond traditional testing?
Lockett: We look at how students are matriculating into post-secondary programming and relevant job placement as key indicators of success. We analyze how students prepare in high school by earning industry certifications and early post-secondary opportunity (EPSO) credits, and see how that directly ties into their college and career choices.
TEC: What strategies do you use to build partnerships with local businesses and organizations?
Lockett: By aligning with Roane County Education Matters, we continually facilitate work-based learning opportunities for our students. This requires ongoing collaboration to ensure both students and community partners see the direct value in these experiences.
TEC: How do you support teachers in keeping their curriculum relevant in rapidly changing fields?
Lockett: Our CTE department works closely with state program managers to stay current with updated standards. Their team tracks emerging needs in high-school curriculum and skill development, and we send our teachers to any necessary professional development to master these updates.
TEC: What role do you believe CTE plays in improving student attendance and school culture?
Lockett: Some students are not motivated by traditional academic incentives but will thrive and excel in a CTE classroom. The hands-on experiences can be the driver for what brings students to school each day. When a school embraces CTE as a part of their overall culture, there is an increase in CTE participation and program completion.
TEC: How do you ensure equitable access to high-quality CTE opportunities for all students across the district?
Lockett: Equity across programs and the district is one of our key priorities. We work closely with various departments to ensure all students—including non-traditional students—have access to CTE programming appropriate for their goals. We also ensure equitable access to equipment and supplies so that no matter where a student attends school, they have access to the highest-quality materials.
TEC: What challenges are currently facing CTE programs, and how can districts proactively address them?
Lockett: We are so lucky in Roane County and in Tennessee to have such supportive legislatures, local government, and school board support. CTE is viewed very differently than it was when I first started. I think the need for industry, aging workforce, and skilled labor is so strong everyone is seeing these programs as a path to success for students and communities.
TEC: If you could share one message with parents and community members about the value of CTE, what would it be?
Lockett: CTE is a central part of all students’ educational journeys. Graduating from high school is only one step in the process. Career preparation through hands-on skill attainment, soft skills training, and post-secondary opportunities are all vital pieces of the CTE puzzle.
Submitted by: TN Educator Collective in collaboration with Cindy Lockett, CTE Director, Roane County Schools