Notes

Outline

Why Career Clusters? Career Clusters, Pathways and Programs/Plans of Study: System For P-Career Seamless Transition Benson Education Associates Gene@bensoneducation.com

Overview Workplace and Employment Challenges Education Challenges National Data New Career Technical Education Definitions

Why Career Clusters? Workplace and Employment Challenges

Figure 1: Transition to 21st Century Workplaces  Source:  Adapted from Schray and Sheets (2002)

Employment Challenges Tomorrow’s jobs require: more knowledge more use and understanding of technology more flexible workers Tomorrow’s employees need to: understand career ladders, lattices and webs continually update knowledge and skills adapt to a more complex workplace possess a better understanding of the big picture

How Hiring Practices Will Change 28% will reduce hiring those with only    a high school diploma 49.5% will increase two-year college graduates Almost 60% will increase their hires of four-year college graduates 42% will increase their hires of    post-graduates within next five years The Conference Board: “Most Young People Entering the U.S. Workforce Lack Critical Skills Essential for Success”

Why Career Clusters? Education Challenges Secondary and Postsecondary Engagement Achievement Transition

The Challenges Engagement – attending school    and graduating

The Challenges Achievement – academic (and    technical) course taking; grades,    test scores

The Challenges Transition and Postsecondary Retention – to postsecondary    education without the need for    remediation; and to the workplace

Challenges: National Data http://ed.sc.gov/agency/offices/hsr/documents/HighSchoolCommissionReport.pdf Provides a summary of national research about high school redesign http://ed.sc.gov/agency/offices/cate/documents/EEDAGuidelines.pdf One model showing how Career Clusters can be used as a system http://www.workforcestrategy.org/publications/promising_practices.pdf Implementation of Career Clusters/Pathways in community colleges

In a Nutshell: Why Career Clusters?     “The global economy requires an educational system that is seamless with numerous exit and re-entry points and a curriculum that emphasizes employability and technical skills integrated with rigorous academic content. To effect this shift, CTE and the broader education and workforce systems must respond. So how do we get from where we are to where we need to be?” Career Clusters:  A Plan of Education for a Global Economy States’ Career Clusters Initiative

"THEN" THEN    NOW

Bottom Line…… In 2008 and in the future: ALL educators are Career Educators