Many career and technical education (CTE) teachers are nearing retirement, and, due to national demographic and teacher training concerns, there are not enough new teachers trained to replace them. In addition, school district hiring practices are typically designed around an expected surplus of newly trained teacher job applicants. By the time human resource departments realize that applications for CTE teacher openings are few or nonexistent, the start of the new school year looms near and a mad scramble ensues to fill the position with anyone--experienced or inexperienced, well-trained or not. Districts often must hire an "industry person" with little, if any, teaching experience and in need of mentoring. With these challenges in mind, the author suggests a thorough transition process that begins earlier than the typical academic teacher hiring process and includes support for new teachers through a structured mentorship. The goal is to ensure a smooth transition between instructors and effective CTE program succession. (Contains 3 figures and 1 table.)