Silver Spring, Maryland – October, 21, 2019 – Advance CTE and Lumina Foundation today announced an initiative to learn more about the role Area Technical Centers play in meeting the needs of high school students and adults as they pursue credentials.
These technical centers expand access to career programs by allowing communities to pool resources to hire instructors, buy equipment, and collaborate with employers. Nonetheless, there is much that remains unknown about how these centers serve learners and employers.
The centers were established at first to serve high school students, but they have expanded in response to labor market demand. Over time, many centers started providing education that leads to credentials beyond a high school diploma for adults as well as offering custom training for local companies.
Advance CTE will examine the scope and reach of these centers in every state over the next 12 months. Advance CTE will identify best practices that connect learners with meaningful academic and technical skill development resulting in education and training after high school that lead to career advancement through better jobs, higher pay, or promotions.
“Area Technical Centers plan an integral role in helping learners of all ages achieve meaningful credentials that set them up for a lifetime of career success in living-wage, in-demand careers,” said Kimberly Green, executive director of Advance CTE. “We are grateful that Lumina Foundation is committed to exploring how Area Technical Centers can and should provide these services to learners of all ages.”
“In an economy where everyone will need to continue their education past high school, we need to expand the number of places where workers — from teenagers just starting their careers to adults looking to keep their skills up to date or develop new skills — can access high-quality, hands-on training and education.” said Chauncy Lennon, Lumina’s vice president for the future of work and learning. “We believe Advance CTE is well positioned to examine the utility of these centers, especially their roles in advancing the job prospects of learners who are Black, Latino, and Native American.”
Contact:
Katie Fitzgerald, kfitzgerald@careertech.org, 301-588-9630
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Advance CTE is the longest-standing national non-profit that represents State Directors and state leaders responsible for secondary, postsecondary and adult Career Technical Education (CTE) across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Established in 1920, Advance CTE supports visionary state leadership, cultivates best practices and speaks with a collective voice on national policy to promote academic and technical excellence that ensures a career-ready workforce.
About Lumina Foundation
Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. The foundation envisions a system that is easy to navigate, delivers fair results, and meets the nation’s need for talent through a broad range of credentials. Lumina’s goal is to prepare people for informed citizenship and for success in a global economy.
