Orange County, California â Today, Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva, (D - Orange County) hosted a Joint Informational hearing to discuss the future of high school Career Technical Education (CTE).
The hearing covered how the 3-year, $900 million California Career Technical Education Incentive Grant, established as part of the 2015-2016 state budget, has been implemented to expand and enhance district CTE programs. The hearing also discussed the need for ongoing funding to ensure students have access to CTE education that prepares them for well-paying careers in industries like agriculture, energy, manufacturing, construction and engineering, healthcare, hospitality, and more.
âEducators and students understand the great value of CTE, which is why more than 300 California high schools and local education agencies applied for and received grants to develop and grow their CTE programs,â said Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, chair of the Jobs Committee. âThrough CTE our schools are making education more relevant to students and setting them up to succeed after graduation. Going forward, we must continue this promise to our students.â
CTE programs are aligned with the state workforce needs and often partner directly with California industries to help Students have the best opportunity to gain meaningful employment when they leave school. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10 of the 20 fastest growing occupations in the U.S. require an associateâs degree or less, and 13 of the 20 occupations with the largest numbers of new jobs projected for 2018 require on-the-job training or an associateâs degree.
The hearing was held from 1:00pm to 3:00pm at Buena Park High School Performing Arts Center, 8833 Academy Drive , Buena Park.