Workforce Prep/ Adult Education

The issue of Vocational Education must be resolved.  Adult Education and the CCollege system have roles in this effort.  The Department of Education must take a role similar to the "math/science" push of other years.  Our economic vitality requires a centrist effort to recruit this middle population of students.  The local example is found here in the Telecom Valley.  Most support industries to these telecom innovators want local, solid, workforce prepared, high school graduates.  This is the same population which wants to stay in Petaluma, earn a living wage, and contribute to the civic life as have their parents and grandparents.  Those students who are going to Standford... clearly know it, and know how to get there.  But those who want to stay and live here must operate in the shadow culture of subset learning, high school counselors who question this "local" goal extensively and school system messages that being local isn't achievement.

Sonoma county WIB members cry oput for an adequate local workforce.  Appointed by our supervisios... we are emasculated by budget amounts which do not match the stated expectations.

The concern of those of us who are willing to propose innovation in all areas of education, and workforce development is that we are tied to archaic rules and definitions.  The stated goal of "all youth-one system" is not credible when elegible youth are defined by tight numeric criteria.

Will we really build a workforce of high school educated local solid citizens?  Will we look to imported workers- legal and illegal?  The message must have concurrent elements. We must mean "all youth" and all pathways to the service must be supportive.  Efforts to build "one system" must blurr turf lines, and encourage agencies who provide service to do so efficiently and in harmony.

Adult Education and the Community Colleges provide distinct and discrete service.  Common leadership may be an answer, but a greater answer lies in a masterplan which allows a dynamic and developing dialogue about roles and abilities of these systems.  Collaboration does not mean that the school systems "play in parallel," it means that each has empathy for the other, and holds the focus of its own goals in the light of the other's.

Petaluma has put forward an innovative idea...  The State WIB exec director has heard it.