programs to schools and colleges across the state . School districts , technical programs and state colleges across Florida competed for grants of $ 25,000 , $ 50,000 and $ 100,000 to bring entrepreneurship education to their classrooms . The outcome is well worth the state ’ s investment : students enrolled in these engaging curricula or cocurricular opportunities showed higher engagement rates , higher persistence rates and higher completion rates in their program of study .
Take , for example , the amazing work our students are doing in Volusia County and at Daytona State College . In Volusia , dozens of school district faculty will be trained to teach entrepreneurship outcomes alongside welding , health care , and other CTE courses . At Daytona State College , students will be engaged to pitch their ideas to actual investors with the hope of getting their solution funded and out into the market . The resources also support the college ’ s bi-annual L . Gale Lemerand Entrepreneurial Speaker Series Event . Some teams have created start-ups that continue to function as businesses long after the school year ends .
These programs are not about creating the next big thing , however . Entrepreneurship programs give students a window into a world they might not ever see , one that rewards perseverance , adaptability and creativity . And it narrows the opportunity gap that prevents some students from learning the human skills that employers say they so desperately need in a model workforce .
This is the first year of a five-year plan for spending a portion of our Perkins V allocation on entrepreneurship education . We remain committed to the ultimate goal of making the idea of entrepreneurship education and training a permanent part of Florida ’ s CTE experience . Thankfully , Perkins V helps provide the necessary resources .
Imagine what might happen if we achieve this goal . Our graduates would not only possess the technical skills employers need but also add increased value to the workplace as “ intrapreneurs ” — employees equipped with the ability to ideate , communicate , and accelerate a company ’ s product or mission to the next level . Workers would be more capable of assisting with the day-to-day challenges Florida ’ s business community identified in the 2018 report , such as motivation , team participation and active listening . And they would be far more prepared to navigate the future of work — the impact of automation and other high-tech tools — by knowing how to pivot and embrace change .
CTE programs on their own can be mechanisms for not just overall economic stabilization but also for growth in local and regional economies . By supplementing that instruction with the human skills employers need - and doing so while teaching them interdisciplinary entrepreneurial competencies - Florida will be ensuring that a new generation of graduates will be ready for the jobs of the future .
Henry Mack currently serves as Chancellor at the Florida Department of Education , a position he has held since October 2019 . As Chancellor , he leads the Division of Career , Technical , and Adult Education , overseeing all workforce education programs and economic development initiatives for the Department .
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