It is slowly getting better — I am seeing more teachers ( particularly in high school ) that are championing career exploration for tech and trades . But within much of education and state / local government , we are still stuck in our old paradigms and bias about trade / tech careers . Yet given the declining enrollment rates in colleges ( particularly with young men ), it seems obvious that a new standard is needed .
Many of us believe that one of the keys to changing this narrative is to begin exposure to these career paths much earlier for our students . States like Ohio are starting this in elementary school , and they are perennial powerhouses in manufacturing . In countries like Germany , students can begin formal apprenticeships effectively while a junior in high school . ( I ’ d note that trades are highly respected as career choices in that country …)
We do have some great examples of best practices around the country for trade pathways ( Ohio and Michigan are a few ). But many other states , including those in the Northwest USA , are still struggling to put a focused , coherent trade / tech K-12 program together at a state level . Why ?
I believe that the makeup of the policy groups might provide a clue . I have taken part in a few of these groups , and they are overwhelmingly comprised of academic stakeholders , with an occasional leader from business . The conversations often start to become inward facing about how to meet credit and curriculum requirements , to which I would say “ Where is the focus on delivering students who have the skill sets that we need in manufacturing ?”
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