Education comes in many forms. As such, it is important to facilitate learning, especially from a young age, across a wide spectrum of skills and industries to help ensure a well-balanced and robust workforce. For this reason, I’ve always supported the expansion of the Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) program.

This program is a win for students, local businesses and their communities. As part of the program, students are offered an opportunity to learn from experts in their field while getting both high school and college credit. As a result, local businesses enjoy a stronger pool of candidates capable of filling vital manufacturing and tech jobs. I had the recent opportunity to tour the Novelis facility in Scriba, where I learned about the company’s operations and skilled workforce. I enjoyed the opportunity to meet with P-TECH students, some of whom will become part of the future workforce at the plant helping this region stay competitive – both technologically and economically. 

Assembly Minority has been dedicated supporters of this important educational model, and I am happy to see progress with respect to raising awareness of and participation in P-TECH and other workforce-development initiatives. Recently, Cayuga Community College opened its Fulton Advanced Manufacturing Institute, which will be a tremendous boon for Central New York. There, students, alongside those already in the workforce, will be able to earn certificates and degrees as well as learn new skills through short-term training programs.

To ensure P-TECH and other workforce-development initiatives succeed, our Conference conducted a series of regional forums to discuss ways to bolster appreciation for and involvement in these initiatives. As a result of the forums, the Assembly Minority Task Force on Learning for Work generated and published a comprehensive report addressing the state’s middle-skills gap. The report included several recommendations based on what we learned during the forums, for example:

• Establishing new types of teaching certifications within the Education Law for specialized instruction to allow highly skilled individuals to teach their skill or profession in P-TECH or similar schools without being required to earn a master’s degree or full teaching certification;
• Expanding awareness of P-TECH to students prior to 9th grade;
• Incorporating professional/soft-skills education as a major component in both P-TECH and general public-school education; and
• Creating additional graduation pathways with specific endorsements to assist students in finding gainful employment.

Additionally, I’ve co-sponsored a bill (A.7319) with Assemblyman Josh Jensen (R,C,I-Greece) to establish the New York State Pathways in Technology Early College High School Program in law, and to create a funding mechanism to ensure P-TECH programs succeed and thrive in the near- and long-term.

 
In order for P-TECH to realize its full potential, it must be nurtured at every level. We must continue to build on our successes in workforce development, and I look forward to working with my colleagues, community members and education professionals around the state toward that end in the coming months.