In the next five years, there will be hundreds of thousands of job openings in Washington state. Unfortunately, many young people do not have access to adequate education and training opportunities or the high-impact experiences that develop the skills necessary to be competitive for those jobs.
Last year, Gov. Jay Inslee launched the Career Connect Washington initiative to help more students find a pathway to high-quality job training and education. Career Connect Washington is a public-private partnership with the goal of connecting 100,000 young people with employer internships, registered apprenticeships, career exploration programs and other learning opportunities. Today, he detailed new investments in his 2019–21 budget for this statewide program. The $110 million will ensure every student in Washington has meaningful hands-on career experiences and pathways to economic self-sufficiency.
“No matter which educational pathway a student chooses, it takes persistence and hard work. Career Connect Washington is working to expand the opportunities for young people to explore and prepare for high-demand, high-wage jobs,” said Inslee. “There are examples of programs developed by educators and employers across Washington that give students on-the-job learning opportunities. What is needed is a way to turn these excellent local programs into a broader set of opportunities for students and employers.”
Read the rest of the story on the governor's Medium page.