Government funding talks for fiscal year 2023 are proceeding slowly, with appropriations leaders in both parties at odds over the total amount of non-defense spending to be included in a potential “omnibus” spending package. ACTE has been monitoring this process closely and participating in meetings with education and workforce staff members on Capitol Hill to advocate for the priorities of the CTE community.
As this is likely one of the final bills to be considered by this Congress, there is the potential for additional, bipartisan priorities to be attached to the final funding legislation. One area that could be addressed is the expansion of Pell Grants to short-term CTE programs. Earlier this year, the JOBS Act (S. 864/H.R. 2037) was close to being included in other legislation, and the bill’s sponsors have been looking for an appropriate vehicle where it might be included. Now is a perfect opportunity for CTE advocates to make their voices heard in support of short-term Pell Grant expansion during these negotiations.
If you have a direct contact in your representative’s or senator’s office, such as from a meeting with a staff member during NPS or at another time, we urge you to call or email directly. You can also call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121, and an operator will connect you to your requested congressional office. Please contact your senators and representatives today!
On Monday, the eighth annual National Apprenticeship Week kicked off nationwide as workforce development stakeholders, advocates and more join together to celebrate the benefits of registered apprenticeship programs. This year, National Apprenticeship Week will be held from November 14-20, 2022.
During the week, more than 1,000 official events celebrating registered apprenticeship will take place. The Department of Labor plans to highlight key segments of apprenticeship during the week, including registered apprenticeships in new and emerging industries, pre-apprenticeships and youth apprenticeships, increasing registered apprenticeship awareness and access for underserved populations, women in apprenticeships, public sector apprenticeships and veterans in apprenticeships. President Biden has also issued a Proclamation on National Apprenticeship Week.
Ways you can celebrate NAW 2022 include:
Issue a proclamation that celebrates registered apprenticeships
Submit an event, highlights and/or photos to the Department of Labor
Promote National Apprenticeship Week using the hashtag #NAW2022
On October 6, the 2022 Illinois ACTE Media Tour visited Collinsville Area Career Center and Alton High School to get a look at the programs offered by the two schools.
Programs on display at Collinsville included automotive technology, autobody repair, construction, culinary arts, criminal justice, cybersecurity, early childhood, education, engineering, industrial electronics, health science, CNA, machining and welding.
Several key opportunities for the students were highlighted. From start to finish, Collinsville construction students are building a house that will be placed on the market. It is a single-level home that will include modern amenities. In the automotive technology program, local businesses Ranken, Ford and Auffenberg provide guidance and industry-standard equipment that prepares students to work in their local automotive shops and dealerships. Illinois State Representative Katie Stuart and State Senator Kris Tharp were in attendance to view the programs. Both representatives shared that they learned a lot about CTE and career pathways after their visit.
Alton CTE programs showcased during the tour included agriculture, food, and natural resources, architecture and engineering, arts, audio/video technology and graphic design, automotive technology, business management and administration, computer networking and programming, construction, culinary, textiles, early childhood education and welding.
The top-notch welding facilities are one of the largest areas in the school, allowing the students to practice skills in a similar space to a professional welding shop. Large drafting tables and construction equipment are housed in the lab next door. The school’s outdoor greenhouse produces plants that students care for daily. A unique feature of Alton High School is their student-operated radio station, which broadcasts daily and can be heard across Southern Illinois. In addition, Alton boasts a strong environment for CTSOs – Alton's FCCLA chapter is the largest in the state of Illinois.
At Alton High School, Assistant Principal and CTE Director Mike Brey led the tour alongside Illinois State Representative Amy Elik and Illinois Board of Education officials. Kaleb Smith, CTE Director for Madison County, urged more industry partners to become involved with the county’s CTE programs through donations or helping to educate students about career opportunities available to them.
On October 4, the Illinois ACTE media tour continued to Mount Vernon Township High School and Salem High School.
Mount Vernon Township students benefit from a variety of cutting-edge programs. For example, Mount Vernon Township Fire Department equipment is used to ensure the students are fully trained with the tools they need to become skilled and safe firefighters. This includes everything from flame-resistant gear to the use of a full-size ladder truck to learn about aerial rescues. Robotics students build fully operational robots with digital screens and sponsor logos that they will use to compete in national and regional robotics competitions. The early childhood program prepares students for classroom teaching experiences, allowing them to step into the childcare workforce as soon as they graduate from high school. In each program, the importance of industry partnerships was discussed.
Salem High School programs on display included agriculture, automotive mechanics, business, construction, family and consumer sciences, health, industrial technology and manufacturing. The programs are very popular with students. For example, Salem’s Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program has seen its most extensive growth in recent years despite the challenges of the pandemic. During the tour, officials from Kaskaskia College also discussed their partnerships with Salem’s programs and their support of dual credit programs. Faculty at Salem shared their desire to give back to their communities through teaching at the high school.
Day three of the tour included Mount Vernon CTE Director Kara Andrews, Salem Mayor Nic Farley, Salem Principal John Boles, Madison County CTE Director Dwain Baldridge and Illinois Board of Education representatives. Salem High School school board officials, Illinois Board of Education officials and city council members from Salem also attended.
All the attendees at the tour stops expressed the strong community and local industry support for CTE and their commitment to supporting CTE for all learners while boosting community and student awareness of CTE.
On October 4, Illinois ACTE and ACTE visited Carbondale Community High School CTE programs and postsecondary CTE programs offered through Southeastern Illinois College. Across both tour stops, guests viewed several cutting-edge CTE programs.
At Carbondale Community High School, the tour group viewed innovative programs in electrical trades, CNA, broadcast and multimedia, exterior construction, culinary, cooperative education/work-based learning, and the introduction to education course. Hands-on techniques were on display in each class, from shaving patients to crafting a meal for school administrators to be catered by the students.
Culinary teacher Dana Lipe shared how she seeks to expose students to the realities of working in a career in the culinary and hospitality industries. CNA students in nurse Melanie Nelson’s course all expressed their intention to join the health care workforce. In total, Carbondale offers courses in 10 unique career pathways.
At Southeastern Illinois College, instructors demonstrated wildlife management techniques at the Outdoor Wildlife Management facility, located just off of the main campus in a tract of land used by the college to host several programs.
In addition to the uniqueness of the wildlife program, students and instructors in the Powersports Maintenance program described theirs as the only one in Illinois and one of the few in the United States that trains students for careers in powersports maintenance. “Powersports” includes jet skis, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and small brush trucks. The program's motto is "work on the toys that you love." Local law enforcement also routinely trains at the campus's fire science, mine safety, firing range, and K-9 unit training station, of which tour guests were treated to an in-depth look. The college also offers a fully-equipped welding and diesel shop on campus.
College officials also discussed their future plans to expand their facilities to serve even more learners across southern Illinois in the coming years.
The second day of the tour was joined by Carbondale school officials, Carbondale city council members, Southeastern Illinois College instructors and administrators and Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) representatives. Photos from the visit are available here.
On October 3, ACTE and Illinois ACTE conducted a site visit to three southern Illinois secondary institutions that have demonstrated exemplary commitments to supporting CTE in their schools.
The first stop of the day was O’Fallon Township High School in O’Fallon, Illinois. The visiting officials first attended a presentation and roundtable discussion about the workforce needs of southern Illinois businesses and industries. They highlighted a few of the region’s top industries:
Health care
Military/defense activities
Retail
Tourism
Recreation
Following the presentation, the group had the opportunity to visit several O’Fallon CTE programs. The tour first viewed a fully operational television studio and production facility housed in O’Fallon’s broadcast production and social media department. This studio provides students with the complete experience of a modern newsroom. Next, in the early childhood program, students were taking care of lifelike infants to simulate the care and attention to detail required of early childhood education professionals. Finally, students participating in drafting and engineering courses were utilizing spacious facilities with brand-new table saws, lathes, drafting tables, welding booths and more to learn in-demand skills.
Our second and third stops of the day included Belleville District 201’s Center for Academic and Vocational Excellence (CAVE) and the Belleville West High School campus.
The “CAVE,” as it is affectionately known to students, faculty and the community, hosts students from Belleville East High School and Belleville West High School. The innovative building, a former gym site, was completed on August 16, 2022, and opened for students and faculty the very next day. Belleville officials described the strong support of the community for the eventual completion of the project. The visiting group was treated to a lunch prepared by advanced culinary students. Additionally, tour guests were escorted through the state-of-the-art welding, construction and automotive facilities, which are designed to ensure students at the CAVE will be able to develop their skills utilizing up-to-date, industry standard equipment. The facility is also home to athletic facilities for Belleville schools, including indoor basketball, tennis and a driving range. An esports computer lab is a can’t-miss sight when visitors walk in the door!
Work-based learning students at the CAVE spoke with the tour attendees about their experiences with CTE. Each student expressed their desire to learn skills using hands-on methods and added that they are all employed by a local industry partner in an apprenticeship program, which CAVE officials said is crucial to successful CTE programs.
At Belleville West, the tour visited the health care program, where students demonstrated their knowledge of basic medical terminology and concepts. At the end of the program, they will be well on their way to pursuing a career in the healthcare field. Just outside of the building were students enrolled in the school’s landscaping course, where they were creating a stone fence.
Several local officials joined all three stops on Monday. Those in attendance included State Rep. LaToya Greenwood of the 114th Assembly District; Brooke Allen of State Rep. Jay Hoffman’s office; State Senator Christopher Belt of the 57th Senate district; Weston White of the Leadership Council of Southern Illinois; Lee Reese, St. Clair County Workforce Coordinator; and Christine Taylor, College and Career Pathway Endorsement Coordinator for Southwestern Illinois CTE System and Madison County CTE System.
The tour continued October 4 – stay tuned for a recap of those visits!
On September 29, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation held a hearing on new investments from the CHIPS and Science Act, particularly in the fields of autonomous technology and artificial intelligence. Witnesses from across the academic and business spectrum were present, and workforce development was a key topic of the hearing.
In his opening statement, Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) noted the importance of developing a skilled workforce to fill positions created by these new investments.
Dr. Nancy Albritton of the University of Washington urged lawmakers to continue federal support of the CHIPS and Science Act initiatives. “Sustained federal investment in these programs are essential for our ‘one nation’ to remain a leader in a fierce global landscape, to leverage opportunities for collaboration between government, academic, and business sectors, and to build a workforce that reflects the rich diversity of our nation.”
Each of the witnesses present expressed the opinion that building the technology workforce must be a top priority.
Steven Lupien of the University of Wyoming Center for Blockchain and Digital Innovation noted his institution’s efforts to introduce students to STEM career options. “We have a secondary goal of introducing girls and women to these opportunities as they are presently underrepresented in the workforce. I encourage you to look at how programs such as these can be made available nationwide.”
Dr. Bob Sutor, Vice President of ColdQuanta, Inc. added that those with advanced degrees will not be the only workers needed to fill new jobs. “Just as today, we will need trained workers in manufacturing, IT and software and hardware engineering. There will be many new jobs and types of jobs, and we must have a trained workforce to fill them.”
On September 22, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Task Force on Youth Access to American Jobs in Aviation held its final meeting, during which the task force shared its findings and recommendations for aviation workforce stakeholders.
Four main actionable recommendations were presented, including:
Early awareness and engagement
Information access
Collaboration
Addressing financial hurdles
The task force members expressed the need for communication to tie together national and state efforts to implement these recommendations. Specifically, a group of “Regional Advisory Councils” and a “National Advisory Council” should be created to work together and support access to aviation careers among aviation stakeholders.
To address the challenges of early awareness and engagement and information access, the task force proposed several items to build awareness of aviation careers through education. These include allowing federal funding to be used to support purchasing aviation-themed books and media, providing aviation career information to teachers and career counselors, offering after-school aviation programs and building base knowledge of aviation careers as pre-service teachers enter the profession.
Potential collaboration opportunities discussed included expansion of pre-apprenticeships and registered apprenticeships to grow the future aviation workforce, dual enrollment programs and outreach to historically underserved populations.
Finally, financial hurdles could be addressed by increasing the allowable flight simulator time to obtain pilot certification, increasing the maximum Pell Grant amount and developing a national aviation scholarship program.
You can watch the full meeting here for more insight into the task force’s work.
Recent changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF) and updates to the TEACH Grant program may provide ACTE members with an opportunity to receive PSLF credit for federal student loan payments previously made and enjoy streamlined requirements for the TEACH Grant program.
You may be able to receive credit for student loan payments that did not qualify for PSLF under the previous rules. Now until October 31, 2022, all periods of repayment of your federal student loans will count toward your PSLF eligibility, regardless of whether you hold Direct Loans, Perkins loans or another loan type. If you have federal student loans, this is a great opportunity! Many of those working with and teaching in CTE programs may qualify for the expanded PSLF waiver. Additionally, if you received Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLF), that period of service will concurrently count toward (PSLF). There are a few steps you should take to take advantage of these benefits:
If you currently have direct federal loans and have not applied for PSLF:
Make sure your employer is eligible for PSLF through the PSLF tool.
Recent changes to the TEACH Grant program will also mean that borrowers who received these grants will not be subject to the same requirements as in previous years. Specifically, these new changes include:
Only four complete teaching certifications across the eight-year requirement
Expanded fields of eligibility for TEACH recipients
Entrance, exit and loan conversion counseling
The Department of Education will also reconsider grant-to-loan conversions, extend the time to meet service, and remove interest and negative reporting.
You do not need to take any action to take advantage of these new TEACH Grant changes.
You can view a recording of a recent webinar explaining these opportunities at the link here. If you have questions about PSLF and/or TEACH Grants, please contact ACTE Government Relations Manager, Zach Curtis, at zcurtis@acteonline.org.
On August 3, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) toured the Peninsula Workforce Development Center on the campus of Virginia Peninsula Community College (VPCC) to meet with employers and job seekers and announce the award of $11 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Good Jobs Challenge.
The funding will allow the Hampton Roads Workforce Council to expand training offerings and recruit more students from underserved communities, including at least 750 Virginians to new maritime employment opportunities.
“For years, the Hampton Roads Workforce Council has been a leader in helping workers gain the basic skills they need for new jobs. Now, through this $11 million investment, the Hampton Roads Workforce Council will be able to move beyond the currently available entry-level programs and provide students with the advanced skills they need to gain higher-paying, long-term careers,” said Rep. Scott.
You can view Tweets from Rep. Scott’s visit here, and see the full list of winners from the Good Jobs Challenge here.
The Association for Career and Technical Education is the largest national education association dedicated to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for careers. Our mission is to provide educational leadership in developing a competitive workforce. Please contact us at publicpolicy@acteonline.org.