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Career and Technical Education Act Promises New York's Youth 21st Century Skills

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Students across the country will have more resources to develop technical skills vital for the 21st century workforce, thanks to a bipartisan bill passed unanimously in the senate Monday night.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand says this bill will ensure industry in New York State thrives going into the future.

“There are a lot of companies in our state that already have good paying jobs right now that are open, with good salaries for graduates of high school technical programs,” Gillibrand said. “But, it can’t fill some of those jobs because too many graduates don’t have the skills they need to take them on.

The proposed bill is called the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act. If passed, $51 million dollars in federal funding will come to New York State schools, out of a national $1.2 billion. High schools, colleges, and career training centers will be able to apply for grants to buy equipment and train teachers.

“Every high school student that chooses the technical path should know how to use technology like 3-D printers, laser cutters, and computerized machine tools,” Gillibrand said. “Every tech-ed teacher should have the training and equipment they need to teach those important skills.”

Gillibrand announced her proposal for career and technical education in Syracuse. She also proposed support for American manufacturers to assist technical job growth in New York State. Two provisions drafted by Senator Gillibrand were included in the new bill: the Computer Science Career Education act, which would assist underrepresented students in learning STEM skills, and the 21st Century Shop Class Act, which would help expand manufacturing technology training. The bill is expected to pass in the house sometime next week.

John Smith has been waking up WAER listeners for a long time as our Local Co-Host of Morning Edition with timely news and information, working alongside student Sportscasters from the Newhouse School.