As we begin the new year, the question we should ask is, “How do we best prepare students for life after high school graduation? Nearly ten years ago, I was invited to present some of my research at symposiums hosted by Cambridge and Oxford Universities in the United Kingdom (U.K.). Recently, I was reminded of how the workforce challenges of both our nations have not changed much since those conference presentations. Two positive results of my attendance at those symposiums are the creation of our SLO Partners program and the founding of the SLO County Career and Technical Education (CTE) Foundation. At the symposiums, it was apparent that the European, African, and Asian countries were already implementing aggressive CTE in secondary schools that included teacher education. My attendance at the Cambridge and Oxford symposiums served to further strengthen my commitment to our county-wide efforts in securing CTE funding for local schools. Ten years later, I can report that San Luis Obispo County has the highest percentage of secondary school students with dual enrollment (college credit while in high school) in the state; we have provided over 500 pre-apprenticeships and continue to promote highly successful skilled employment training programs at the secondary and post-secondary levels.
Education in the United States, and across the globe, continues to experience a changing landscape. We should remember that according to current data one out of three Americans (33 percent) report attaining a bachelor’s degree, and 12 percent reported an advanced degree such as a master’s, professional, or doctorate. Almost 9 out of 10 Americans (88 percent) attained a high school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED). Educational attainment continues to vary by age, sex, race, nativity, and disability status. While we here in America continue to navigate our way through federal and state mandates that impact our classrooms, our schools must include CTE as a piece of the educational puzzle.
Puzzle masters advise that instead of taking a wild stab at the puzzle, see if you can identify a good strategy that will lead to an acceptable solution. Similar to a puzzle master’s advice, I believe that CTE is a key piece of the educational quest for student success. As we face an ever-changing world, it is important to explore avenues that present multiple paths for student success. CTE curriculum strives to pair academics and high-level workplace skills necessary for success in today’s workplace. Students, administrators, teachers, business members, community leaders, and even politicians have endorsed CTE programs. Shortly after I attended those symposiums, the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education and SLO Partners established a training center at the main campus in San Luis Obispo to provide short-term employment training opportunities.
SLO Partners’ mission is to engage business partners and educators in aligning workforce needs. We facilitate training and work experience opportunities to ensure that students have the skills and knowledge necessary for success in the workplace. Our business partners hire program completers as employees who contribute to a sound, growing economy. We continue to work on industry certifications and are expanding to a second training center in Paso Robles this year to better serve North San Luis Obispo County. It is an honor to serve as your County Superintendent of Schools.
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” — Benjamin Franklin
Feature Image: CTE programs are available at its San Luis Obispo facility. Contributed Photo
