Last week, Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), the co-chair of the Congressional CTE Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, hosted a field hearing in his home state of Pennsylvania entitled, “The Role of Career & Technical Education in Creating a Skilled Workforce: Perspectives from Employers and Stakeholders.” He was joined by fellow U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly (R-PA) and Scott Perry (R-PA), as well as State Senator John Blake (D) at the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg. The policymakers heard testimony from a panel of witnesses that included representatives of local business and labor groups, national organizations, and CTE educators. You can view a recording of the hearing and a press release summarizing testimony online.
Chairing #CTE Career & Technical #Education Caucus Field Hearing with other Legislators in #Harrisburg pic.twitter.com/EiycwgO35B
— Glenn 'GT' Thompson (@CongressmanGT) October 24, 2014
Sandra Himes, ACTE member and executive director of the Lehigh Career & Technical Institute in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, emphasized CTE as a component of local economic development, and urged employers to partner with CTE intuitions. “Companies decide to move into an area or relocate out of an area based on whether they can have access to a skilled workforce. They look to the career and technical schools to provide a pipeline of trained workers,” said Himes. “The ingredients of quality CTE programs rely upon the true involvement from business and industry.”
Kim Green, executive director of National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc), who we partner with on our Perkins reauthorization work, was also among the expert panelists. She highlighted the important role of the Perkins Act in addressing short-and long-term workforce development. “Today, more than ever, the spotlight on CTE is being shown on CTE as a proven strategy that engages students, aligns talent with opportunity, and ensures preparation for the workforce and further education,” said Green. “As employers struggle to find the skilled workers needed to fill millions of job vacancies, it is critical that CTE play a larger role in expanding the nation’s talent pipeline. Future Perkins legislation must strike a balance between the immediate labor needs of employers and the projected needs of the wider economy in the years to come.”
Rep. Thompson and State Sen. Blake both urged support of CTE through federal and state policy. According to Sen. Blake, “Early and effective career development assures for our children a more efficient transition from school to the world of work and enhances our state's economic growth.” Rep. Thompson argued that ensuring access to quality CTE programs for all students is the obligation of local, state and federal policymakers. Read more updates on House and Senate CTE caucuses at the CTE Policy Watch Blog.
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