Political Quotes

“Mr. President. Far too many students leave our Country's classrooms ill-equipped to keep up with the demands of the 21st century job market. Many enter high school and postsecondary education uninformed of the range of careers available to them. For our Country's continued success, it is essential that our young people have exposure to the vast range of available work and career options early in their academic careers so that, by the time they begin high school, they are more knowledgeable about future paths and what they need to do to pursue them. Wherever I travel through Virginia I hear the same thing from business owners, manufacturers, and plant managers: there are good paying jobs out there, we just need to train our students with the skills to fill them. Middle school is a time for students to begin thinking about what they want to pursue in life. Helping them explore how their coursework could support those interests can make a valuable difference down the road. Programs that focus on career and technical education (CTE) allow for students to explore their own strengths and passions, as well as how they match up with potential future careers. But limited funding for middle school CTE programming often requires students to wait until high school for access to this type of experience. This is why I am pleased to introduce today the Middle School Technical Education Program Act, or Middle STEP Act.…”