By Andrew Edwards
Elmore/Autauga News
The Autauga County Technology Center will not be hosting an in-person Workforce Development Workshop, also known as “Career Day,” this February.
Instead, the ACTC will have a virtual open house on February 25th and 26th, and can be viewed on the Prattville Alive streaming service.
The Workforce Development Workshop is an opportunity to teach students more about trades that interest them, and is an important path to adulthood for many young adults in Autauga County.
The Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce, a proud sponsor of Career Day, is annually present at the event. While they cannot be there in person this year, that won’t stop them from spreading the word about the importance of Workforce Development for Autauga County students.
“The world of education is taking notice of the benefits and importance of Career and Technical Education (CTE). For years, CTE has been undervalued, which has led to a shortage of skilled workers in the American workforce. Industries have taken notice of this shortage and are encouraging educators to bring skills and career readiness back into the classroom,” said Chamber President Patty VanderWal.
According to Success Plus research, 15 percent of all high school graduates credentials are earned in CTE, 79 percent of sub-baccalaureate credentials are earned in the CTE field, and 97 percent of public high school graduates earn at least some credits in CTE.
That same research shows that we will need to add as many as 500,000 high-skilled employees to the workforce by 2025 to fill industry’s labor needs and compete for new businesses, which would equate to approximately 60% of the state’s working age population.
“Career and Technical Education (CTE) is learning what works for Alabama. 80% of students taking a college preparatory academic curriculum with rigorous CTE meeting college- and career-readiness goals, compared to only 63% of students taking the same academic core who did not experience rigorous CTE,” the Chamber released in a statement.
The time is now, more than ever, for students to be involved in CTE education while at the high school level. If you are currently a student at ACTC, simply login at https://www.autaugatech.com/?PageName=bc&n=256259 on February 25th and 26th to take part in the first ever virtual career day.
