Final
Technical and Career Education
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Votes:
Action Taken:
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11:44 AM -- Technical and Career Education
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Ms. Sherri Schneider, Colorado Community College System
Ms. Sherri Schneider, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Community College System, discussed career and technical education's importance to the educational system and the economy. She indicated that career and technical education is provided in a variety of ways and at different levels of the educational system. Career and technical education provides individuals with the needed skills to compete in the global economy. It also provides individuals with real-world work skills. She discussed five key principles of career and technical education: 1) it derives its curriculum, standards, and organizing principles from the workplace; 2) it is a critical and integral component of the total education system, offering career-oriented benefits for all students; 3) it is a critical and integral component of the workforce development system, providing the essential foundation for a thriving economy; 4) it maintains high levels of excellence supported through identification of academic and workplace standards, measurement of performance, and high expectations for participant success; and 5) it is robust and flexible enough to respond to the needs of the multiple educational environments, customers, and levels of specialization. She stated that there are 2200 career and technical education programs in Colorado. She commented that career and technical education is a connector between the content learned in the education system and the workplace.
Ms. Schneider indicated that career and technical programs cost more than other education programs, but that the investments benefit society. Senator Bacon commented that the state may need to invest more in career and technical education. Senator Evans discussed the need for more full-time faculty on campuses. He also commented that there needs to be increased efforts to help students identify their strengths and weaknesses to help them plan for their future, and to help students transition from high school. Ms. Schneider discussed efforts to help students transition from high school to the workplace or to college. A packet of materials on career and technical education was distributed to the committee (Attachment G).
Representative Borodkin commented on the need to continue discussions on how to improve career and technical education in the state.