June 7: Workforce Preparation and Business Linkages

Panelists

• Vicki L. Barber, Superintendent, El Dorado County Office of Education
• Jim Lawson, President, Workforce Silicon Valley
• Bruce McPherson, State Senator
• David Rattray, President and Executive Director, UNITE-LA

Discussion Questions

1. Should California monitor students' success in making the transition from formal education to gainful employment? Why or why not?

   • Should this be a part of the accountability system in a Master Plan?
   • How could this monitoring be done?

2. Should educational institutions integrate career preparation in their curricula for all students, including academic courses?

   • What are the best ways to prepare students for their working lives?
   • Can "real world" applications be included in all curricula?
   • What preparation would teachers need to implement this change?
   • How can school and work be better aligned?

3. The draft Plan suggests partnerships with business.

   • How would this help students in their transition to work?
   • What are the challenges businesses will face as they partner with schools, colleges, and universities? What are the challenges for the educational institutions?
   • What are the conditions needed to establish successful partnerships?

Background for the Discussion

1. There is no background statement for Question 1.

2. Recommendation 25 is "Require the development of articulation processes to provide students with clear curricular and career guidance about the transition from high schools, colleges, and universities to employment." There has been insufficient collaboration among schools, colleges, and universities to ensure a successful transition, particularly for students in traditional academic or liberal arts programs. Further, employers frequently have to provide additional education and training, even for college graduates. One issue is whether this recommendation goes far enough towards advocating career preparation for all students. (See also the background material for Question 3.)

3. References to collaboration and partnerships occur throughout the draft Plan with reference to business as well as communities and non-profit organizations. In explaining Recommendation 53 the draft Plan points out that the creation of linkages with related businesses and professions is a common component of both high school career technical programs and postsecondary professional programs. These linkages help students build relationships with professionals in the field and help them develop an understanding of how specific knowledge and skills are applied in a real-world context. The draft Plan suggests "rather than leaving such connections to the initiative of individual teachers and institutions, California should encourage all education institutions to forge ongoing relationships with business and articulate both curriculum and teaching strategies with business needs."

Selected Workforce Preparation Resources

• Improving School-to-Work Transition: Issue overview with pitfalls; gives additional links (North Central Regional Education Laboratory)
• Working in Partnership with Business, Labor, and the Community Suggests effective school-to-work programs are based on strong partnerships between local schools and businesses (North Central Regional Education Laboratory)
• Developing Work-Based Learning Opportunities (North Central Regional Education Laboratory)
• Universal College Preparation: Proposes that skills and knowledge needed to directly enter the workforce are the same as those needed for college (Education Commission of the States Clearinghouse)
• ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career, and Vocational Education (ERIC/ACVE)

Related Issues

These topics are related to many issues; the links below lead to pages on this site that give more information in selected areas.

• Alignment
• Data
• Goveranance

Working Group Report and Recommendations

Workforce Preparation and Business Linkages were addressed by one of the Working Groups convened by the Joint Committee to develop a Master Plan for Education.

Links

• Report of the Working Group: searchable copy of the report, with recommendations.
• Analysis by Joint Committee Staff: summarizes Working Group recommendations, mentions relationships to reports of other committees, and gives comments including pending questions raised by the recommendations.
• Public Testimony
  • California School Boards Association

Results

• Academic integration.
• Alignment across systems.
• Accountability that is program-based.

Goals Addressed

The Group organized its work and recommendations around three main themes derived from the charge of the Joint Committee: Integration of Academic and Career Technical Education, Alignment and Accountability. The charge included:

• California's education system must respond to growing need for housing, infrastructure, transportation and other services by increasing emphasis on career and technical education.
• All students must have the opportunity to participate in a cohesive and well-articulated system of career, technical, and academic preparation that prepares them to excel.
• Career and technical education programs must have the resources to provide pupils with essential skills. These programs must also enable students to successfully modify their educational program to pursue more academically-oriented objectives.