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Posts Tagged ‘workforce’

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Council of State Governments’ National Conference

Friday, August 15th, 2014

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to attend The Council of State Governments’ (CSG)  annual national conference as a member of the National Task Force on Workforce Development and Education, which is part of their “State Pathways to Prosperity initiative.”  With members representing all three branches of state government, CSG brought a broad set of perspectives together to discuss the key challenges and opportunities in developing a strong education and workforce pipeline.  The final Task Force framework and recommendations will be further developed and released in the coming months.

In addition to the Task Force meeting, I also had the opportunity to attend a policy academy where I learned about an array of  impressive state- and business-led efforts to support students’ career readiness and U.S. competitiveness. One such example is the MC2 STEM High School, developed through a partnership between the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and GE Lighting.  Students attend school on the GE campus during their sophomore year, where they engage in a year-long project that culminates in a presentation to GE leaders, and then spend their junior and senior years at Cleveland State University. All students complete at least one internship, have a GE “buddy” and must demonstrate 90 percent “proficiency” to earn credits. Since the school opened in 2008, nearly 100 percent of MC2 STEM students have graduated, and 84 percent of the graduates have matriculated into college.

Another fascinating model shared was the Automotive Manufacturers Technical Education Collaborative (AMTEC), or the National Center for Excellence in Advanced Automotive Manufacturing. AMTEC is an effort supported by the major automotive manufacturers – Ford, GM, Toyota, Honda, etc. – to develop a set of common expectations to anchor training programs for multi-skilled employees. AMTEC provides industry-developed and verified curriculum and assessments to its member community colleges, companies and high schools, as well as professional development and other resources.

Alaska 1And did I mention the meeting was in Anchorage, Alaska as a bonus? As evidence, here’s a picture of me…and a picture of a moose. 

Alaska 2

 
Kate Blosveren, Associate Executive Director

 

By Kate Blosveren Kreamer in Meetings and Events, Uncategorized
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15 States Eligible for WIA Incentive Grants

Friday, June 7th, 2013

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration and the U.S. Department of Education have jointly announced that the following states are eligible to apply for incentive grant awards as authorized through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA):

States were selected based on their performance-related goals in: employment after training and related services, retention in employment, and improved literacy levels.

Eligible states may apply for a share of the $10 million available to be used through June 30, 2015. The funds will support workforce and education activities as authorized under Title IB and Title II of WIA or under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. To qualify, states must have exceeded performance levels for WIA (Title IB and Title II) for the 2011 program year.

Kara Herbertson, Research and Policy Manager

By admin in News
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Register Now for NASDCTEc Webinar on Career Academies: An Investment in Students, the Workforce and the Economy

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

Career Academies: An Investment in Students, the Workforce and the Economy

Career academies are a proven way of delivering high-quality Career Technical Education (CTE). Through small learning communities, college-preparatory curriculum, and strong partnerships with local employers, career academies offer work-based learning opportunities and rigorous pathways to postsecondary education and careers. Research strongly supports the efficacy of career academies in increasing the academic success, attendance levels and future earning potential of participating students.

Join us for a webinar that features state and local leaders who will discuss why career academies are a successful delivery mechanism for CTE, and what they are doing in this exciting field.

The webinar will be held on Thursday, May 9th at 3 p.m. ET. Speakers include:

Rod Duckworth, Chancellor, Division of Career and Adult Education, Florida Department of Education.
Sabrina Arney, Teacher, Aspirations in Medical Sciences Academy, Long Beach, California.

David Beckett, Advocacy Manager, NASDCTEc

Register NOW

Ramona Schescke, Member Services Manager

By admin in Webinars
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Spring Meeting Recap: Federal Career Pathways Initiatives

Friday, April 19th, 2013

Earlier this week, the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc) held its annual Spring Meeting where during one  session, participants heard updates on three national programs that are aiming to better coordinate and strengthen career pathways systems across states. Importantly, all of the presenters expressed an appreciation for each other’s efforts and noted that there was a lot of coordination across the projects.

Mary Clagett of Jobs for the Future discussed Advancing Career and Technical Education (CTE) in State and Local Career Pathways Systems, which is a federally-funded program working with a cohort of states to support, coordinate, and develop non-duplicative education and training programs that will help build skills among low skilled adults. The focus of the initial research and ongoing technical assistance in states is on identifying the most impactful programmatic and policy solutions to building and maintaining a strong career pathway system.

Similarly, the Alliance for Quality Career Pathways, coordinated by the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), is focused on supporting pathways for adults and disconnected youths. As described by Vickie Choitz of CLASP, the primary focus of the Alliance is developing a framework of quality criteria and indicators and a shared set of performance metrics to help align CTE programs of study, high school to college transitions, and adult career pathway across state. The framework will be customizable for states and include a self-assessment tool to ensure the framework is best meeting states’ needs. Ten states are currently participating in the Alliance.

Finally, participants learned more about CORD’s professional development and curriculum support for Adult Career Pathways. Hope Cotner of CORD talked about efforts of states, districts and institutions of higher education to design instruction to support career pathways and learning for students of all ages. You can download her presentation here.

During the discussion and Q&A period, participants again raised the issue of ensuring the federal government, national initiatives, states, and localities in using common definitions and language when using some common phrases as “career pathways” and “programs of study.”

Kate Blosveren, Associate Executive Director

 

By Kate Blosveren Kreamer in Advance CTE Spring Meeting
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Register Now for Upcoming NASDCTEc Webinar Featuring Area CTE Centers: Conquering the Skills Gap through Business-Industry Collaboration

Friday, March 29th, 2013

Area CTE Centers operate in a variety of ways – from shared-time centers offering primarily technical training to full-time centers that provide students with both academic instruction and technical training – but all provide opportunities for students to receive relevant, rigorous CTE. And at a time when employers say that they are unable to find workers who have the right skills to fill job vacancies, area CTE centers provide a crucial link between the knowledge and skills that students learn and those demanded by local businesses.

Join us for a webinar that features state and local leaders who will discuss area CTE centers in their states and how they are making connections to the needs of business and industry and their communities.

The webinar will be held on Thursday, April 25th at 3 p.m. ET. Speakers include:

Steve Gratz, Ph.D.
Director, Office of Career-Technical Education, Ohio Department of Education
Harold Niehaus
Director of Instructional Development, Miami Valley Career Technology Center
Paula Bowles
Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education
Bill Kramer
Communications and Marketing Coordinator, Canadian Valley Technology Center, El Reno, OK

Link to register

Ramona Schescke, Member Services Manager

By admin in Webinars
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Register Now for April 3 NASDCTEc Webinar on Sustainability Education Resources and Tools for CTE Students and Educators

Monday, March 25th, 2013

Sign up now for NASDCTEc Webinar on Workforce Readiness – Learn how your Students can Earn an Industry Certification in Sustainability 101 and all about GEF’s Green Building Curriculum!

Date and Time April 3, 2013 at 3 p.m. Eastern

Victoria Waters, Green Education Foundation (GEF) Institute President, will be introducing the Institute’s new offering for CTE schools – a Sustainability 101 Certification! Learn how Virginia Beach City Public Schools is implementing this valuable credential in one of the largest school districts in Virginia and what their students are saying about it.

GEF will also showcase how New Jersey is educating their CTE students on green construction at nine school districts throughout the state with the Institute’s Green Building Course. The curriculum includes the following seven modular units that can be taught in conjunction with an existing course, as a semester or yearlong offering or standalone:

• Introduction to Sustainability and Green Building
• Sustainable Sites
• Materials and Resources
• Energy and the Built Environment
• Indoor Environmental Quality
• Water Efficiency in Buildings
• The Present and Future of Green Building

Please join Patrick Konopnicki, Virginia Beach City Public Schools, CTE Director; Todd Menadier, Director of Field Implementation and Enhancement for the NJ Green Program of Study grant project; and Victoria Waters, CEO of GEF Institute to learn how to inform, prepare and excite your students for jobs in the new green economy!

Link to register: http://nasdcte.adobeconnect.com/wfreadinessgef101/event/event_info.html

This webinar will be recorded.

Ramona Schescke, Member Services Manager

By admin in Webinars
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Texas Bills Would Create a Fast Start Program for Students

Friday, March 8th, 2013

The Texas Fast Start Program, an initiative designed to train workers faster and in the skills local industries need most, is being proposed via a pair of companion bills recently introduced into the Texas House and Senate, according to Dan Zehr of the American-Statesman.

In the news release, Zehr stated “The program would bring community colleges and public institutions together with employers to identify and craft training programs for needed skills. But it would also allow students to advance through classes as they master various skills, rather than requiring a arbitrary number of hours in classrooms or labs.”

Ramona Schescke, Member Services Manager

By admin in Public Policy
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Learn how to Build Adult Students’ English Language and Workforce Content Skills in Upcoming NASDCTEc Webinar

Wednesday, November 28th, 2012

Register now for the upcoming webinar Building Adult Students’ English Language and Workforce Content Skills on December 6, 2012 at 3 p.m. Eastern time. Programs in the Carlos Rosario International Charter School in Washington, DC are highlighted.

LINK to register

Increasingly, many immigrants and other non-native English speakers are studying in career and technical education certificate or degree programs. Their acquisition of content may be compromised by challenges with English vocabulary, language structures and functions, and cultural information. In Washington, DC, the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) has been training workforce instructors at the Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School in sheltered instruction methodology that improves students’ English language proficiency and content knowledge. Hear about the project and its outcomes, and learn about some of the strategies instructors employ to build learners’ English language and workforce content skills.

Presenters:
Miriam Burt, Adult ESL Specialist, Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL), Washington, DC
Heather Tatton-Harris, Computer Literacy Instructor, Curriculum Specialist, Carlos Rosario International Charter School, Washington, DC
Christopher Pepin, Culinary Arts Instructor at Carlos Rosario International Charter School, Washington, DC

Ramnona Schescke, Member Services Manager

By admin in Webinars
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Register now for NASDCTEc Webinar on Building Adult Students’ English Language and Workforce Content Skills

Tuesday, November 20th, 2012

We are pleased to announce the upcoming webinar Building Adult Students’ English Language and Workforce Content Skills on December 6, 2012 at 3 p.m. Eastern time.

LINK to register

Increasingly, many immigrants and other non-native English speakers are studying in career and technical education certificate or degree programs. Their acquisition of content may be compromised by challenges with English vocabulary, language structures and functions, and cultural information. In Washington, DC, the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) has been training workforce instructors at the Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School in sheltered instruction methodology that improves students’ English language proficiency and content knowledge. Hear about the project and its outcomes, and learn about some of the strategies instructors employ to build learners’ English language and workforce content skills.

Presenters:
Miriam Burt, Adult ESL Specialist, Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL), Washington, DC
Heather Tatton-Harris, Computer Literacy Instructor, Curriculum Specialist, Carlos Rosario International Charter School, Washington, DC
Christopher Pepin, Culinary Arts Instructor at Carlos Rosario International Charter School, Washington, DC

Ramnona Schescke, Member Services Manager

By admin in Webinars
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New CRS Report Highlights NASDCTEc Work

Tuesday, October 9th, 2012

The Congressional Research Service (CRS), which provides reports and analyses to Members of Congress on a variety of policy issues, recently released a new report on Career Technical Education. The goal of the report, Career and Technical Education: A Primer, is to “support congressional discussion of initiatives designed to rationalize the workforce development system.”

The report provides an overview of CTE, walks through the delivery and structure of CTE at the secondary, postsecondary, and adult learner levels, and raises several issues facing CTE stakeholders. For example, according to the report, there are four concerns that may hinder CTE delivery at the secondary level: (1) what is the goal of CTE – to broaden the students’ education and provide early exposure to several career options or to ensure students are prepared to enter the workforce, (2) the expense of maintaining and updating the instructional resources and equipment, (3) whether CTE adds value to a college preparatory high school curriculum, and (4) that the common core standards do not define career-ready and thus may not provide immediate career preparation.

While explaining the National Career ClustersTM Framework, the report references data from NASDCTEc’s 2011 issue brief, Career Clusters and Programs of Study: State of the States. The data for this issue brief was culled from the 2010 State Profile survey. We administer this survey to our members every other year to collect a wealth of information to be used in updating the State Profiles, and to provide the basis for a number of issue briefs. We are pleased that CRS was able to utilize our data in their report!

In the section “College- and Career-Ready Standards and CTE Standards” the report highlights NASDCTEc and NCTEF’s work around the Common Career Technical Core (CCTC) as one of the two set of standards impacting CTE students. As stated in the CRS report, the CCTC was developed by 42 states, the District of Columbia, Palau, business and industry representatives, educators, and other stakeholders, and it provides standards for each of the 16 Career ClustersTM and their career pathways.

Nancy Conneely, Director of Public Policy

By admin in Public Policy, Publications
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