The growing importance of career and technical education as a viable path to the American Dream was highlighted this month in a thought-provoking piece in US News & World Report, Vocational High Schools: Career Path or Kiss of Death. Happily, as the article underscores, more educators are dispelling the myth that gaining technical skills and earning industry-recognized certificates while in high school unfairly limits students’ futures.
As many of you know, America’s Promise Alliance made an exciting announcement at their summit this past week: for the first time ever, the national high school graduation rate is 80 percent. But there is much more work to be done to help more young Americans cross the finish line and pursue meaningful educational and career pathways after high school – particularly students struggling with their classes and low-income youth who are at higher risk for dropping out.
With all the welcome attention lately on CTE and apprenticeships, Opportunity Nation wants to make sure another vital program stays front-and-center in discussions about how to prepare a stronger workforce: the Workforce Investment Act.
With all the great attention CTE and apprenticeships are getting lately, I wanted to make sure you were aware that another hugely important bill is heating up – the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). Opportunity Nation’s coalition has long supported key components of this important law, which has been due for a major overhaul since 2003.
Opportunity Nation shares key stories that explore opportunity-related issues in powerful, provocative ways. Many of these articles and op-eds include new data and research on key economic, educational, social and civic factors that affect upward mobility and community well being.
More and more states, as well as the federal government, are realizing just how important high-quality CTE and apprenticeships are to help young Americans get good jobs in growing industries and strengthen the economy. A new initiative by Vice President Biden to promote apprenticeships as a pathway to a college degree will help youth and provide employers with trained talent in the process.
Finally, more attention is being paid to a powerful path to the middle class that is often overlooked in the United States: apprenticeships. If we are going to fill the estimated five million new “middle skill” jobs that will require some post-secondary training or credential, but not a four-year degree, by 2020, our country has to make high quality career and technical education programs and apprenticeships a priority.
We have more exciting career and technical education news to celebrate this week. The White House recently announced Youth CareerConnect grant recipients, who will share a total of $107 million.
Opportunity Nation is thrilled that a new bipartisan bill designed to improve Career and Technical Education (CTE) was introduced yesterday by Congressmen Joseph P. Kennedy (D-MA), Jared Polis (D-CO), Rodney Davis (R-IL) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL).
Opportunity Nation shares key stories that explore opportunity-related issues in powerful, provocative ways. Many of these articles and op-eds include new data and research on key economic, educational, social and civic factors that affect upward mobility and community well-being.
