Published: Wednesday, December 17, 2008
IN OUR VIEW
Draw clear connection between school, career
Amid all the angst over the outsourcing of American jobs, we should be doing everything we can to ensure that our students have the training it takes to qualify for the many good jobs that are staying here.
Locally, that includes work in aerospace, biotech and manufacturing, as well as health care, education and tourism. It also means training for jobs in the skilled trades. The work done by electricians, carpenters, mechanics, welders, plumbers and pipefitters can't be done from India or China -- or even another state.
Yet many students go through school with too little thought about the wide range of careers that are available locally, much less how to pursue them. With no clear connection between school and career success, too many of them lose interest and drop out -- leaving themselves a lifetime of unrecognized earning potential.
In Snohomish County, the Sno-Isle Tech Skills Center offers marvelous pathways for high school students and others to embark on productive careers in a variety of trades. And our community colleges and technical schools continue to play a critical role in retraining workers in an ever-changing economy.
Still, the high school dropout rate remains far too high, and as Baby Boomers retire, we face a potential shortage of skilled workers in a wide range of jobs. That's why we endorse a bill introduced by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) that would offer federal grants for communities to identify high-demand careers and create ways for interested students to pursue them.
Murray's bill, the Promoting Innovations to 21st Century Careers Act (S. 3573), would create a $912 million federal grant program administered by a board under an agreement with the Education, Labor and Commerce departments. It would bring together local educators and industry, workforce and economic development leaders to create career pathways -- sets of academic and career-related courses and services for interested students. Drawing coherent connections between school and career can spark the interest and imagination of students who might otherwise fall through the cracks, turning a potential dropout into a well-paid worker.
Murray's bill also includes clear accountability provisions, requiring grant recipients to show success in graduation rates, degrees or credentials earned, and how much students earn when they enter the workforce.
As Congress and the incoming Obama administration begin pouring billions of dollars into economic stimulus plans, they should be mindful that smart educational investments pay off now and into the future. These are the kinds of investments we should be making, regardless of economic conditions.
Locally, that includes work in aerospace, biotech and manufacturing, as well as health care, education and tourism. It also means training for jobs in the skilled trades. The work done by electricians, carpenters, mechanics, welders, plumbers and pipefitters can't be done from India or China -- or even another state.
Yet many students go through school with too little thought about the wide range of careers that are available locally, much less how to pursue them. With no clear connection between school and career success, too many of them lose interest and drop out -- leaving themselves a lifetime of unrecognized earning potential.
In Snohomish County, the Sno-Isle Tech Skills Center offers marvelous pathways for high school students and others to embark on productive careers in a variety of trades. And our community colleges and technical schools continue to play a critical role in retraining workers in an ever-changing economy.
Still, the high school dropout rate remains far too high, and as Baby Boomers retire, we face a potential shortage of skilled workers in a wide range of jobs. That's why we endorse a bill introduced by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) that would offer federal grants for communities to identify high-demand careers and create ways for interested students to pursue them.
Murray's bill, the Promoting Innovations to 21st Century Careers Act (S. 3573), would create a $912 million federal grant program administered by a board under an agreement with the Education, Labor and Commerce departments. It would bring together local educators and industry, workforce and economic development leaders to create career pathways -- sets of academic and career-related courses and services for interested students. Drawing coherent connections between school and career can spark the interest and imagination of students who might otherwise fall through the cracks, turning a potential dropout into a well-paid worker.
Murray's bill also includes clear accountability provisions, requiring grant recipients to show success in graduation rates, degrees or credentials earned, and how much students earn when they enter the workforce.
As Congress and the incoming Obama administration begin pouring billions of dollars into economic stimulus plans, they should be mindful that smart educational investments pay off now and into the future. These are the kinds of investments we should be making, regardless of economic conditions.
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