Senate Passes Resolution Recognizing February as Career and Technical Education Month
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), co-chairs of the Senate CTE Caucus, announced that the Senate passed their resolution recognizing February 2019 as Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month. The resolution was cosponsored by a total of 50 bipartisan Senators.
“Career and technical education provides students with hands-on experience and real-world skills to better prepare them for jobs of the 21st century,” said Senator Young. “This resolution will help encourage more students to seek career and technical training, leading to a highly skilled workforce and strong economy.”
“Career and technical education prepares students with the skills they need for today’s in-demand career fields like cyber security and health care,” said Senator Kaine. “I’m hopeful that our resolution recognizing CTE Month can raise awareness about the importance of job training to help our future leaders thrive.”
“Ohioans deserve the opportunity to get the skills they need to compete for the jobs of today. When I travel around the Buckeye State, manufacturers and employers of all sizes tell me they don’t have enough qualified workers to fill they jobs they have open,” Senator Portman said. “By naming February Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, we are recognizing the importance of CTE in closing this skills gap. I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues in a bipartisan fashion to make sure students have the opportunity to find a rewarding career and reach their God-given potential.”
“In my home state of Wisconsin, we have a long tradition of making things, and of investing in quality education – including career and technical education,” said Senator Baldwin. “CTE programs play a key role in providing students with the skills that employers need and lead to high-paying jobs and a path to the middle class. I’m proud the Senate has recognized the value of these programs by designating February as CTE Month.”
In July, the President signed the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act into law. This included several bills authored by Senators Young and Kaine and aligns education and job training programs with the current needs of our workforce, while still preserving accountability at the state and local levels. CTE reauthorization was long overdue since its last update in 2006.
Full text of the resolution is available here.