Chamber Advocacy Strengthens Workforce Education & Training
June 9, 2015
by Gary Toebben
Last Thursday, the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) was among three programs from the L.A. region awarded a Career Pathways Trust Grant to educate thousands of students through partnerships with businesses. LACCD received $15 million to support programming that blends academic and career technical education, cultivates business education partnerships, and trains students for jobs in high-demand fields, such as health care, advanced manufacturing, information technology, bio-technology and engineering.
The Downey Unified School District and the Pasadena Unified School District joined LACCD as grant recipients, bringing an additional $24 million in Career Pathways Trust funding to the region. This is in addition to the nearly $65 million in Career Pathways Trust Grants awarded to school districts in the L.A. area in 2014-2015. Grant recipients are tasked with creating Linked Learning career pathways that connect education to business through work-based learning opportunities that enable students to explore and experience real jobs under the mentorship of industry professionals.
The California Career Pathways Trust was spearheaded by former Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg and established a two-year, $500 million, competitive grant program. L.A. Chamber Executive Vice President for Education & Workforce Development David Rattray partnered with Steinberg and played a key leadership role in the development and passage of Career Pathways Trust Fund legislation in 2012. The Chamber was also a crucial supporter for the local applications for funding during the last two years and has an ongoing role with several grants focusing on careers in STEM, health care and teaching.
Congratulations to all our outstanding recipients. The Chamber looks forward to continuing to engage the businesses of our region in helping students prepare for careers that offer great personal opportunities and are essential to the growth of our economy. If you are interested in exploring opportunities to get connected, contact Bridget Netter, director of Business Education Partnerships.
And that's The Business Perspective.
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