VCC Magazine Spring 2018

Preparing Students for the Road Ahead

By Dr. Brenda D. Long

Career and technical education (CTE) has greatly evolved over the years. It does not consist of the same curriculum and instructional programs offered a decade ago, and it is certainly no longer recognizable as what it was two decades ago. CTE is no longer a bundle of programs only for those who are not planning to pursue postsecondary education; it is relevant for all students today, regardless of their career plans and goals. Through CTE, students planning to

experience the real world of work. This partnership “connects the dots” to prepare students for their future careers at whatever point they enter the workforce. There are CTE programs that address every student’s career interest and assist in making career choices. To help students gain a better understanding and to guide the choices they make in high school CTE programs, the Virginia Department of Education has created Career Success Stars, which showcases former CTE students who are successful in their chosen careers. Some of the Career Success Stars can be found on the CTE page of the Virginia Department of Education website, http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/career_ technical/index.shtml , and more can be found under each Career Cluster at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/career_technical/ career_clusters/index.shtml . Preparing Virginia’s students for the road ahead is no small task, but with CTE classes and Career Clusters in public schools across the Commonwealth, we believe it can be done. Dr. Brenda D. Long, Executive Director, Virginia Association for Career and Technical Education.

enter the workforce directly from high school have the opportunity to earn nationally recognized industry credentials and start jobs at the entry level or beyond. Students planning for postsecondary education—either a one-year certificate program or a two- or four- year degree—also earn these industry credentials and can leverage their academic and technical knowledge in further education. During the 2017-2018 school year, high school students earned 157,490 credentials and of those, 109,590 were industry specific credentials A student planning to become an electrical engineer can enroll in Engineering and related courses in high school to better understand his or her future career, while another, who is interested in architecture, can enroll in Architectural Drawing and Design. Students interested in marketing and entrepreneurship have the choice to enroll in Introduction to Marketing, Entrepreneurship Education, or other related courses. Students interested in skilled trades can take advantage of available internships and apprenticeships to enhance their skills and deepen their understanding of their chosen field. These skilled technical jobs—occupations that require a high level of knowledge in the technical domain but do not require a bachelor’s degree for entry level—are essential in Virginia and the global workforce. As career and technical education continues to meet Virginia’s critical need for high-quality and highly skilled employees, its role is becoming more recognized. Part of the school reform measures being undertaken in the Commonwealth is the inclusion of early career awareness in elementary school, career exploration in middle school, and career planning through high school. We are no longer asking our students to simply choose between going to college or going to work after high school; we are helping them make plans for a sustainable career and to be life-ready. This is why all students benefit from instruction in Workplace Readiness Skills, an integral component of all CTE programs. Employers across Virginia echo this need for future employees to have employability skills that are as critical to their performance as academic and technical skills. It is urgent that our education system provide training in all of these skills to prepare a competitive workforce. Recognizing the need for students to be

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exposed to the workforce environment, the Virginia School Boards Association appointed the Task Force on Workforce Readiness with the mission “to support school divisions by identifying and promoting workforce readiness opportunities that enable students to be prepared to succeed in a new economy.” The first Excellence in Workforce Readiness award will be presented to school divisions this summer. Business and industry will play a key part in this advancement by working with local school divisions to provide opportunities for job shadowing, internships, apprenticeships, and other venues where students can

Legislative Counsel

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