[House Hearing, 118 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                     PREPARING STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS
                      IN THE SKILLS-BASED ECONOMY

=======================================================================

                                HEARING

                               Before The

                     SUBCOMMITTEE ON EARLY CHILDHOOD, 
                      ELEMENTARY, SECONDARY EDUCATION

                                 OF THE

                COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE
                     U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                    ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS

                             SECOND SESSION

                               __________



            HEARING HELD IN WASHINGTON, DC, JANUARY 18, 2024

                               __________

                           Serial No. 118-34

                               __________

  Printed for the use of the Committee on Education and the Workforce
  
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]  


        Available via: edworkforce.house.gov or www.govinfo.gov
        
                              __________

                   U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE                    
56-310 PDF                  WASHINGTON : 2024                    
          
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------         
       
                COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE

               VIRGINIA FOXX, North Carolina, Chairwoman

JOE WILSON, South Carolina           ROBERT C. ``BOBBY'' SCOTT, 
GLENN THOMPSON, Pennsylvania             Virginia,
TIM WALBERG, Michigan                  Ranking Member
GLENN GROTHMAN, Wisconsin            RAUL M. GRIJALVA, Arizona
ELISE M. STEFANIK, New York          JOE COURTNEY, Connecticut
RICK W. ALLEN, Georgia               GREGORIO KILILI CAMACHO SABLAN,
JIM BANKS, Indiana                     Northern Mariana Islands
JAMES COMER, Kentucky                FREDERICA S. WILSON, Florida
LLOYD SMUCKER, Pennsylvania          SUZANNE BONAMICI, Oregon
BURGESS OWENS, Utah                  MARK TAKANO, California
BOB GOOD, Virginia                   ALMA S. ADAMS, North Carolina
LISA McCLAIN, Michigan               MARK DeSAULNIER, California
MARY MILLER, Illinois                DONALD NORCROSS, New Jersey
MICHELLE STEEL, California           PRAMILA JAYAPAL, Washington
RON ESTES, Kansas                    SUSAN WILD, Pennsylvania
JULIA LETLOW, Louisiana              LUCY McBATH, Georgia
KEVIN KILEY, California              JAHANA HAYES, Connecticut
AARON BEAN, Florida                  ILHAN OMAR, Minnesota
ERIC BURLISON, Missouri              HALEY M. STEVENS, Michigan
NATHANIEL MORAN, Texas               TERESA LEGER FERNANDEZ, New Mexico
JOHN JAMES, Michigan                 KATHY E. MANNING, North Carolina
LORI CHAVEZ-DeREMER, Oregon          FRANK J. MRVAN, Indiana
BRANDON WILLIAMS, New York           JAMAAL BOWMAN, New York
ERIN HOUCHIN, Indiana

                       Cyrus Artz, Staff Director
              Veronique Pluviose, Minority Staff Director
                                 ------                                

  SUBCOMMITTEE ON EARLY CHILDHOOD, ELEMENTARY, AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

                     AARON BEAN, Florida, Chairman

GLENN THOMPSON, Pennsylvania         SUZANNE BONAMICI, Oregon,
BURGESS OWENS, Utah                    Ranking Member
LISA McCLAIN, Michigan               RAUL GRIJALVA, Arizona
MARY MILLER, Illinois                GREGORIO KILILI CAMACHO SABLAN,
MICHELLE STEEL, California             Northern Mariana Islands
KEVIN KILEY, California              JAHANA HAYES, Connecticut
NATHANIEL MORAN, Texas               JAMAAL BOWMAN, New York
BRANDON WILLIAMS, New York           FREDERICA WILSON, Florida
VIRGINIA FOXX, North Carolina        MARK DeSAULNIER, California
                                     DONALD NORCROSS, New Jersey
                         
                         C  O  N  T  E  N  T  S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page

Hearing held on January 18, 2024.................................     1

                           OPENING STATEMENTS

    Bean, Hon. Aaron, Chairman, Subcommittee on Early Childhood, 
      Elementary, and Secondary Education........................     1
        Prepared statement of....................................     4
    Bonamici, Hon. Suzanne, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Early 
      Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.............     6
        Prepared statement of....................................     8

                               WITNESSES

    Corwin, Danny, Executive Director, Harbor Freight Tools for 
      Schools....................................................    11
        Prepared statement of....................................    14
    Mosley, Kelly, Supervisor, Career and Technical Education, 
      Clay County District Schools...............................    22
        Prepared statement of....................................    24
    Kincaid, Richard, Senior Executive Director, Office of 
      College and Career Pathways, Maryland State Department of 
      Education..................................................    28
        Prepared statement of....................................    30
    Mabile, Brandon, Strategic Development Manager, Performance 
      Contractors Inc............................................    35
        Prepared statement of....................................    37

                         ADDITIONAL SUBMISSIONS

    Chairman Owens:
        Letter dated January 18, 2024 from Western Governors' 
          Association............................................

 
                     PREPARING STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS
                      IN THE SKILLS-BASED ECONOMY

                              ----------                              


                       Thursday, January 18, 2024

                  House of Representatives,
  Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and 
                               Secondary Education,
                  Committee on Education and the Workforce,
                                                    Washington, DC.
    The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:15, a.m., 
2175 Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Aaron Bean [Chairman 
of the Subcommittee] presiding.
    Present: Representatives Bean, Thompson, Owens, McClain, 
Kiley, Williams, Foxx, Bonamici, Hayes, DeSaulnier, and 
Norcross.
    Staff present: Cyrus Artz, Staff Director; Nick Barley, 
Deputy Communications Director; Mindy Barry, General Counsel; 
Hans Bjontegard, Legislative Assistant; Isabel Foster, Press 
Assistant; Daniel Fuenzalida, Staff Assistant; Sheila Havenner, 
Director of Information Technology, Amy Raaf Jones, Director of 
Education and Human Services Policy; Marek Laco, Professional 
Staff Member; Georgie Littlefair, RJ Martin, Professional Staff 
Member; Hannah Matesic, Deputy Staff Director; Hannah Matesic, 
Deputy Staff Director; Audra McGeorge, Communications Director; 
Eli Mitchell, Legislative Assistant; Rebecca Powell, Staff 
Assistant; Brad Thomas, Deputy Director of Education and Human 
Services Policy; Maura Williams, Director of Operations; 
Ni'Aisha Banks, Minority Intern; Nekea Brown, Minority Director 
of Operations; Scott Estrada, Minority Professional Staff; 
Rashage Green, Minority Director of Education Policy & Counsel; 
Christian Haines, Minority General Counsel; Stephanie Lalle, 
Minority Communications Director; Raiyana Malone, Minority 
Press Secretary; Kota Mizutani, Minority Deputy Communications 
Director; Veronique Pluviose, Minority Staff Director; Olivia 
Sawyer, Minority Intern; Maile Sit, Minority Intern; Clinton 
Spencer IV, Minority Staff Assistant; Jamar Tolbert, Minority 
Intern; Adrianna Toma, Minority Intern; Banyon Vassar, Minority 
IT, Natalia Wilson, Minority Intern.
    Chairman Bean. Ladies and gentlemen, a very good morning. 
Welcome to your nation's capital. This is the Subcommittee on 
Early Childhood Elementary and Secondary Education. The 
Committee is now--will come to order. A quorum is present. 
Without objection, the Chair is authorized to call a recess at 
any time.
    We are glad to have you here, and those in the audience 
thank you. We are going to have a great hearing today. I think 
it is a lively topic, something that our Nation is challenged 
with, a problem that we are going to delve into and see what we 
can do. We are going to talk about the critical role of K 
through 12 career and technical education, CTE, and Preparing 
Young Students for Success in the Modern Economy.
    You know, I serve, and in fact, I am missing a Committee 
hearing right now on small business, and for the last year we 
have talked to small business, and medium business, even large 
business.
    If you ask them some of the challenges they are facing in 
today's economy, the vast majority--the vast majority, hiring. 
Hiring skilled employees that are ready to go to work, that is 
a challenge for many of them.
    I believe, if we are going to tackle this problem, we have 
to talk about flux capacitors. Flux capacitors, if you are over 
30 you know that is the critical piece of a time machine that 
was featured in the movie Back to the Future. Back to the 
Future was a great, zany movie in the 80's where Marty McFly 
and Doc Brown had their adventures, but they were trying to get 
back to the future. I think that is our mantra today, back to 
the future.
    There was a time where there was a heavy focus on career 
and technical training in schools. This issue is personal to 
me. My dad was a shop teacher--was an industrial arts teacher. 
Think about this. He took over a school, his first job out of 
college was to be a shop teacher.
    On his first day at class he finds he has got 45 students, 
but no money, no budget, no materials, no tools, no anything, 
and he has got to teach these students. He went to the 
administration and said you know; how do I teach shop? They 
said, make do. Make do. What do you do without any money, 
without anything? Let me tell you what my dad did, and so many 
people have told me your dad taught me shop, or your dad, you 
know, was a great influence in my life.
    What he did was he brought his own tool kit to school and 
told each kid to find something that is broken at your house, 
bring it in, and we will fix it as a class. That had such a 
lasting impact on so many people, and has prepared the people 
that do my plumbing, and the people that fix my car, my dad 
taught them automotive shop.
    As a country, we have consistently undervalued the value of 
this type of education. I think it started, ironically, in the 
80's when shop and other classes like that were removed. Here 
is the truth. Two thirds of Americans do not possess a 
bachelor's degree. One out of three students who start college 
never finish. If we do not recognize these realities, and 
reflect them in the Committee's priorities, employers will in 
fact change.
    They are already changing right now. Employees are moving 
as we speak, they are removing degree requirements for job 
applicants and moving toward skills-first hiring. LinkedIn, if 
you go to them, 2023 skills report found significantly fewer 
job postings requiring degrees.
    More employers are explicitly hiring skills data than in 
previous years. If we are going to tackle this problem 
collaboration between educational institution and industry 
partners will be key. We have established an all-star panel 
that we are about to hear from.
    In closing, I will note that a few years ago Discovery 
Channel's Dirty Jobs Host, Mike Rowe, you know the man, Mike 
Rowe, appeared for this Committee and said there is a problem 
we need to fix, 7 years ago.
    He pointed at that time, in 2017, there were 5.6 million 
open jobs if we just had some skills to fill them. Today that 
number is 8.8 million jobs. Our all-star panel, I have met with 
each of you, Richard, we just had a conversation. In just a few 
minutes we are going to hear from this all-star panel that 
comes from across the Nation, whose doing it well? Maryland and 
Florida.
    Who is doing great, but what is the industry leaders out 
there? We will hear from Danny and Brandon, Richard and Kelly 
in just a few minutes. Our members, thanks for participating. 
Before we start though, let us turn to our Ranking Member, 
Representative Bonamici for an opening statement, and her 
thoughts on today's hearing.
    Ms. Bonamici.
    [The Statement of Chairman Bean follows:]
    
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
    
    Ms. Bonamici. Thank you so much, Chair Bean, and thank you 
to the witnesses for joining us today. I am very grateful that 
we are having this hearing on career and technical education, 
an issue that has broad bipartisan support. During the last 2 
years congressional democrats and the Biden/Harris 
administration have been working hard on rebuilding the economy 
from the bottom up and the middle out.
    When we think about the Inflation Reduction Act, CHIPS and 
Science, the bipartisan Infrastructure Law, these are creating 
millions of new infrastructure, clean energy and STEAM related 
jobs. I say STEAM intentionally because integrating art and 
design into science, technology, engineering and math, means 
more creative and innovative students and workers.
    These legislative victories that we are working on now, 
will create a sustained demand for postsecondary, STEAM and 
construction based pathways, particularly with an eye on those 
who historically have been left out of these jobs and these 
opportunities.
    Investing in CTE, career and technical education, can help 
build a skilled pipeline for students when they get out of high 
school to meet this new demand. To that end, we need CTE 
programs that are available to all students, so they can 
explore careers that interest them. Whether or not they require 
a 4-year degree, or an industry recognized credential is still 
beneficial.
    Named after Carl D. Perkins, who Chaired this very 
Committee, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education 
Act allows students to learn about competitive careers in 
information technology, health science, manufacturing, 
hospitality to name a few.
    These opportunities are critical to helping students refine 
relevant skills, incompetencies which frequently leads to 
industry recognized credentials and increased earning 
potential. Under the Perkins Act, funding for CTE courses is 
commonly offered in public and private high schools with more 
than 80 percent of students completing at least one CTE credit.
    Additional funds are also directed into local, secondary 
institutions, or specialized high schools that focus on 
vocational industry specific training. Chairman Bean, I really 
appreciate the story about your father. I am thinking today 
about all the CTE equipment, which most people are not likely 
to have, whether it be, you know, CD printers, or labs, or you 
know, large industrial equipment.
    In recent years, schools and administrators are rethinking 
the value of CTE and the role it can play in helping students 
prepare for college or the workforce in keeping students 
engaged in school.
    In the past year CTE was used as an alternative track for 
students less interested in college, or worse, those who are 
deemed usually inappropriately, not college eligible, but it is 
now a much valuable tool to bring much needed career and 
postsecondary exposure to all students.
    CTE is an important part of a well-rounded education, but 
not a substitute for it. CTE has become essential as students 
today are looking for hands on learning opportunities, and new 
rewarding careers while employers are increasingly requiring 
some type of postsecondary education.
    Our data shows that there is a 90 percent CTE student high 
school graduation rate, versus a 75 percent average nation-wide 
graduation rate, so we know CTE is valuable to keeping students 
in school. If students with the lowest profile enroll in a CTE 
program, they are eight to ten times less likely to drop out of 
school in the 11th and 12th grades.
    The Department of Education under President Biden has made 
career connected learning through CTE programs a priority. 
Career connected learning is centered on four evidence-based 
strategies. It prepares students for career success.
    Expanding work based learning opportunities, increasing the 
use of dual enrollment for CTE courses, strengthening career 
navigation support, and requiring that CTE programs lead to 
valuable industry recognized credentials.
    For example, the Department of Education has teamed up with 
the Department of Labor and the Department of Energy for its 
Raise the Bar initiative, which embeds these strategies into 
CTE programming and grants, so students are offered robust 
career exploration opportunities. Taken together, these 
strategies will help students gain career exposure, and 
importantly, learn soft skills.
    That is what we hear about when we are out talking to 
employers, responsibility, communication, collaboration, all of 
those things that those are skills that students will gain 
regardless of what path they take. It will strengthen local 
economies, and help employers fill vacancies. With that, Mr. 
Chairman, I look forward to a productive and thoughtful 
discussion, and I yield back the balance of my time.
    [The Statement of Ranking Member Bonamici follows:]
    
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
    
    Chairman Bean. Thank you so much. Well done. Let us get to 
that all-star panel I promised you. Our first witness, Danny 
Corwin, Executive Director of Harbor Freight Schools--Tools for 
Schools, located in Calabasas, California. As Executive 
Director, and we had a little chat this morning, he is in the 
fight to bring the next generation to jobs where it matters, 
where they can make a difference.
    They can make big bucks. That is the other big thing. Mr. 
Corwin brings over three decades of leadership, experience 
dedicated to expanding opportunities for K to 12 public 
schools, and leader positions over 13 years with the California 
Charter School Association, including being CFO, Vice 
President, Senior Vice President of Development, 4 years as the 
Director of Career Academies. I told you all-star panel, and he 
is going to be our leadoff hitter.
    He serves on the boards for several nonprofit 
organizations, and received his BA from UC Santa Barbara, and a 
master's in education from UCLA. Welcome, Danny, we'll get to 
you in just a second.
    Next is Kelly Mosley. Kelly is from a special district in 
Florida, the 4th congressional District, Clay County. She is 
the Career and Technical Education Supervisor for the Clay 
County School District in Northeast Florida, located in Green 
Cove Springs, Florida, where my wife is from.
    After graduating from the University of Florida, go Gators, 
in 2004, she taught agriscience at Wilkinson Junior High 
School, and Lake Asbury Junior High School.
    In 2007, Ms. Mosley was named the--are you ready for this, 
the Florida Association of Career and Technical Education's New 
Teacher of the Year. She holds a master's degree in education 
leadership for the University of North Florida, and I want to 
explain something to you being from the State of Florida. This 
white stuff we are seeing outside, they call it snow, so it is 
new to me too, Kelly, we are glad to have you here.
    Our next witness, I will yield to Ms. Bonamici to introduce 
Mr. Kincaid.
    Ms. Bonamici. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Richard Kincaid 
is a Senior Executive Director of College and Career Pathways 
of the Maryland State Department of Education, where he runs 
the College and Career Pathways Office, and implements the 
Blueprint for Maryland's Future. A program that increases 
funding for education by 3.8 billion dollars each year over 10 
years.
    Prior to joining the Maryland State Department of 
Education, he was a State Director of Career and Technical 
Education at the District of Columbia's office of the State 
Superintendent of Education. He has also served as a Director 
of K-12 curriculum and instruction, Director of Career and 
Technical Education in Career Academies, Campus Administrator 
and High School Debate Teacher, for several school systems in 
Texas.
    He holds a bachelor's in human resources management, a 
master's in organizational development, and a master's in 
educational leadership, and is nearing completion of an ED.D. 
in Education in curriculum and instruction from the University 
of Virginia. Welcome, Mr. Kincaid.
    Chairman Bean. Thank you, Ms. Bonamici, and welcome. Mr. 
Kincaid took the Red Line in this morning, so we are glad to 
have you here. Our last witness, Brandon Mabile, who has got 
the second-best looking beard here today. He is the Strategic 
Development Manager for Performance Contractors, Sugarland, 
Texas.
    He is based out of Houston, spent some time in Louisiana as 
well. Let me tell you he joined Performance Contractors in 2006 
and was named Strategic Development Manager in 2021 after 
serving as the Texas Regional Business Development Manager for 
11 years. He represents today Associated Builders and 
Contractors.
    They are the go-to industry for building, building America, 
and he has got thoughts that he will share with us on what the 
next generation needs, what he needs, and his contractors all 
across America are.
    Ladies and gentlemen, and member, pursuant to Committee 
Rule 8(c), all Committee members who wish to insert written 
statements into the record may do so by submitting them to the 
Committee Clerk electronically in Microsoft Word, which is 
taught in Clay County schools, in that format by 5 p.m., after 
14 days from the beginning of today's hearing, which is 
February 1, 2024.
    Without objection, the hearing record will remain open for 
14 days after the date of this hearing to allow such statements 
and other extraneous materials referenced in the hearing to be 
submitted for the official record. Let's get to our all-star 
panel members. I kind of talked to you a little bit. We have 
this 5-minute--your statements are already--I read them, they 
are good.
    You have got good closing statements and opening 
statements, but let us hear from you. Danny Corwin, you are 
recognized. Welcome to the Committee.

   STATEMENT OF MR. DANNY CORWIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HARBOR 
        FREIGHT TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS, CALABASAS, CALIFORNIA

    Mr. Corwin. Thank you. Good morning, Chairman Bean, and 
Ranking Member Bonamici, and all of the distinguished members 
of this Subcommittee. My name is Danny Corwin, and I am the 
Executive Director of Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, which 
is the program of the Smith Foundation.
    The Smith Foundation is a private foundation, established 
by Eric Smith, the owner and founder of Harbor Freight Tools, a 
national tool retailer with over 1,400 stores and 28,000 
employees. Grateful for a shop class that he took in high 
school and concerned that such programs were on longer 
available to many students around the country, Eric established 
Harbor Freight Tools for Schools to increase understanding, 
support and investment in skill trades education in U.S. public 
high schools.
    Our flagship initiative is the Harbor Freight Tools for 
Schools prize for teaching excellence, which annually awards 
1.5 million dollars to 25 outstanding high school trades 
teachers across the country. We also created the platinum 
standard, to outline the elements of excellence in skill trades 
teaching and learning in U.S. public high schools.
    Some elements of particular importance include starting 
with an excellent teacher, and having a relevant, aligned 
curriculum within demand career pathways, opportunities for 
work-based learning, all resulting in a high school diploma and 
an industry recognized credential. We know that high school 
trades education broadly coursework focused on the 
construction, transportation, electrification and manufacturing 
sectors, is critical for our Nation's future.
    Our economic vitality rests on our ability to create a 
skilled workforce of highly trained professionals to design, 
build and repair the very fabric of American life, from the 
roads we drive on, to the homes we live in, to the electrical 
grid and energy sources that power it all.
    In 2019, we commissioned opinion research to survey 
students, parents and voters. The results reflected a desire 
for greater support and access to trades coursework. 83 percent 
of voters, and 79 percent of parents said that school districts 
should make skill trades education a high priority.
    Skilled trades education also leads to better educational 
outcomes for high school students. A study by Jobs for the 
Future showed that students who concentrate on skill trades 
coursework are more likely to graduate from high school than 
their national peers.
    Why are excellence skill trades classes not available to 
every American student? Some of the obstacles include a college 
for all mentality, that has limited student options, and 
created a stigma around trades careers, while increasing the 
percentage of students with access to college is laudable and a 
necessary goal, it has been the unintended effect of closing 
off options for students who may choose to pursue a different 
path.
    Other obstacles include a lack of alignment among K-12, 
postsecondary, workforce development and industry sectors, an 
acute and growing shortage of skill trades teachers, and 
finally the fact that spending on CTE makes up just 3 percent 
of the estimated overall funding for high school and middle 
school education in the United States.
    Despite these obstacles, many promising practices have 
developed across the country, some illustrated by the work of 
our prize-winning teachers. These include integrating skill 
trades and traditional academic coursework, as demonstrated in 
Colorado, where Scott Burke cofounded Geometry and 
Construction, a program that integrates skill trades and 
traditional academic coursework.
    The program teaches students both trades and geometry, 
through the process of building affordable homes for families 
in need. Also, incorporating project-based learning to impart 
core concepts, and teach professional skills.
    In Connecticut, Roxanne Amiott, automotive repair--teachers 
automotive repair in a classroom that is a live, licensed 
repair facility, where students work on customer vehicles in 
teams, learning every aspect of the professional process from 
repairs to customer interaction and time management.
    Also, expanding opportunities for dual enrollment and 
college credit to give CTE students a head start on 
postsecondary education and careers. In Arizona, Cesar Gutierez 
teaches precision manufacturing, where students can receive up 
to 25 college credits, nearly a full year of school for their 
associate degree in industrial technology, thanks to a dual 
enrollment partnership with Pima Community College.
    Other promising practices include increasing work-based 
learning experiences to help students build technical and 
professional skills with workplace mentors, and leveraging out 
of school hours, flexible schedules and summer learning, to 
give students more access to hands on skill trades education.
    These promising practices can help prepare our students for 
success in the skill-based economy. Again, thank you for the 
opportunity to address the importance of skill trades 
education, and I look forward to your questions.
    [The Statement of Mr. Corwin follows:]
    
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
    
    Chairman Bean. Spot on, Danny Corwin, well done. Thank you 
so much. I have got a great question for you in just a few 
moments, but thank you so much. Our next witness, Kelly Mosley, 
I spent the morning with her showing, looking at her programs, 
and so Kelly Mosley, welcome. You are recognized.

 STATEMENT OF MS. KELLY MOSLEY, CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION 
 SUPERVISOR, CLAY COUNTY DISTRICT SCHOOLS, GREEN COVE SPRING, 
                            FLORIDA

    Ms. Mosley. Chair Bean, Ranking Member Bonamici, and 
members of the Subcommittee. Thank you for inviting me here 
today and giving me the opportunity to share about career and 
technical education in Clay County, Florida. My name is Kelly 
Mosley, and I serve as one of two supervisors of career and 
technical education for Clay County District Schools where our 
goal is to prepare students for college and careers.
    Clay County has nearly 120 career and technical education 
teachers in secondary schools. We are fortunate to have college 
and career coaches as part of our CTE team, who work at all 
seven high schools to support CTE students and teachers. Over 
11,000 students are enrolled in CTE programs.
    There are 33 different CTE programs across the county, 
representing 11 career cluster areas. In Clay County, students 
are on a six-period school day, and they can choose to take CTE 
courses as their electives, in addition to their academic 
courses. They can continue to take CTE courses that buildupon 
each other as part of the CTE program of study throughout their 
high school career, or they can choose to explore another CTE 
program or elective.
    Exploratory CTE courses are offered at the junior high 
school level, where they can take semester long CTE courses 
during their 7th and 8th grade school years. These courses 
relate to the courses offered at the high school level and are 
an important part of the workforce pipeline.
    Students in Clay County CTE programs prepare for a variety 
of nationally recognized, industry certification exams from the 
Florida Department of Education's CAPE Funding list. Last year 
over 1,400 industry certifications were earned by Clay County 
students.
    We offer work-based learning opportunities, such as CTSOs, 
pre-apprenticeships, school-based enterprises, internships, 
field trips, career fairs, and clinical experiences. We have 14 
advisory boards where business and community partners advise, 
assist and advocate for CTE programs, and they are the 
foundation of business partner involvement.
    Even though we are constantly trying to overcome the 
obstacle of the nationwide CTE shortage, our department 
collaborates with regional workforce partners to determine in 
demand career fields, as we develop new CTE programs. Recently 
we had expanded health science, , construction, information 
technology and communication programs in the county, and we 
look forward to continuing to expand manufacturing programs in 
the future.
    Please continue to support CTE. CTE programs provide 
something for every student. CTE programs provide real-world 
hands-on experiences to prepare students for college and 
careers, and CTE classes are the reason that many students come 
to school every day.
    CTE's teachers have the unique opportunity to serve as 
their student's teacher for their entire high school career, 
and forge relationships with students that impact student 
attendance, discipline and academic achievement.
    I could share Clay County's CTE student success stories for 
days. Stories of how a student ended up in a certain career 
because of a field trip they took, or how they earned a college 
scholarship because they were well prepared for the interview, 
due to the mock interviews they had during their CTE program.
    Or the job offer they were given because they were able to 
network with industry professionals, and that job turned into a 
career that helped them overcome generational poverty. I could 
share stories of how students who participated in internships 
were hired as permanent employees, and they're now modeled 
employees for local businesses, where they're given tuition 
reimbursement, health benefits, and more.
    I will leave you with this one story of a former Clay 
County student who excelled in two different CTE programs while 
he was at Middleburg High School. He participated in two 
different CTSOs, and the ACE Mentoring program where he met 
various people who would offer him employment in the 
construction industry.
    He was able to serve as the project manager who helped to 
build the latest hospital in Clay County and was able to 
experience a full circle moment 10 years later. He shared with 
current CTE students on a field trip to the constructionsite 
provided by business partners about the opportunities Clay 
County CTE provided him, that led him to the team who was 
building the 2-million-dollar hospital that will provide 
services for our entire county.
    The numbers and statistics are important, but stories like 
these are even more important because they represent lives 
changed, and communities impacted, and I appreciate the 
opportunity to share our story with you today, and I look 
forward to answering your questions.
    [The Statement of Ms. Kelly Mosley follows:]
   
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
    
    Chairman Bean. Kelly Mosley, well done. Thank you very 
much. He used to run D.C. Schools, now he is doing it for 
Maryland, Mr. Kincaid, you are recognized my friend, welcome.

 STATEMENT OF MR. RICHARD KINCAID, SENIOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, 
     OFFICE OF COLLEGE AND CAREER PATHWAYS, MARYLAND STATE 
          DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND

    Mr. Kincaid. Chairman Bean, Ranking Member Bonamici, and 
distinguished members of the Committee, it is an honor to 
testify before you today. My name is Richard Kincaid, and I am 
testifying on behalf of the Maryland State Department of 
Education, led by our interim State Superintendent, Dr. Carey 
Wright.
    In my role I lead the Office of College and Career 
Pathways, a team that is responsible for ensuring that all 
students have access to high-quality career and technical 
education programming. While the State of Maryland is making 
excellent progress toward developing an educational system that 
is connected to the world of work, we still have not done 
enough to communicate that career is the destination, and 
college is one of the many pathways to get there.
    Today I want to introduce you to a piece of groundbreaking 
legislation known as the Blueprint for Maryland's Future. 
Second, I want to share with you a competitive grant program 
called Maryland Works. Third, I want to emphasize the 
importance of rigor, quality and cross sector collaboration in 
the apprenticeship space.
    The Blueprint for Maryland's Future is a significant shift 
in the state's approach to education policy, governance and 
accountability. This multi-billion-dollar State and local 
investment intends to transform Maryland's public education 
system into a worldclass education model.
    For the purpose of my testimony today I will highlight 
pillar three of the blueprint, which requires that all students 
have equitable access to rigorous education that prepares them 
for college, career and life, and more specifically to our work 
in CTE, mandates that all high school graduates earn an 
industry recognized credential, and/or complete the high school 
level of a registered apprenticeship program by the 2030-2031 
school year.
    This mandate requires a rapid state-wide scaling of 
industry recognized apprenticeship opportunities, both on the 
industry side, and for our school systems. To achieve this, 
Maryland has implemented various strategies, including 
significant investment in expanding and improving CTE 
programming.
    Pillar three of the blueprint parallels the intentionality 
of the Biden administration's four keys to unlocking career 
success, dual enrollment, work-based learning, workforce 
credentials, and career advising and navigation via career 
counselors. Each of these elements become a critical piece of 
Maryland's CTE redesign over the next few years.
    To seat and skill the apprenticeship and industry 
recognized credential elements of the blueprint, MSDE developed 
and launched Maryland Works, a competitive grant that leverages 
remaining ESSR III funding to make a substantial investment in 
establishing industry aligned apprenticeship infrastructure 
across our State for all Maryland schools and business sectors.
    The Maryland Works grant allocates 12.2 million dollars to 
nine entities, including six local education agencies, and 
three intermediaries, showcasing a national model for using 
recovery funds to build a talent pipeline, in key workforce 
sectors. The grant emphasizes innovative transportation, unique 
high school scheduling, and diverse youth apprenticeships in 
career fields not traditionally associated with 
apprenticeships.
    Fields such as finance, IT, biotechnology, life sciences 
and education, and then also broadens the traditional intern or 
apprenticeship space in construction, hospitality and 
healthcare. By the end of the current school year, Maryland is 
on track to nearly double the number of students in youth 
apprenticeship programs, with estimated counts exceeding 1,000 
students by the end of the school year.
    Both large government agencies like the National Security 
Agency and NASA, are hiring Maryland youth apprentices 
alongside small rural businesses like Westminster Automotive, 
all who recognize the value add our programs and 
apprenticeships bring to economic development within our State. 
In Maryland, the landscape of youth apprenticeship is evolving 
dynamically as well, shaped by the ambitious goals of the 
Blueprint for Maryland's Future, and innovative approaches of 
programs like Apprenticeship Maryland, and school to 
apprenticeship initiatives.
    The Blueprint's goals underline the state's commitment to 
creating pathways that lead to good jobs, and Apprenticeship 
Maryland is a significant component of the effort, offering a 
framework that integrates academic and practical learning 
through on-the-job experiences.
    Following a similar route to approval as registered 
apprenticeships, Apprenticeship Maryland opportunities must be 
paid, aligned with the student's career pathway, must include 
concurrent and ongoing related instruction, and must be 
approved by The American Apprenticeship Training Council.
    Regardless of the specific model of apprenticeship that's 
developed and implemented, several quality assurance elements 
must be in place. First, collaboration among industry partners, 
educational institutions and government agencies. Two, a review 
board to formally approve the apprenticeship.
    Three, continuous evaluation of the apprenticeship program 
and individual experiences. In closing, I want to thank each of 
you for the commitment to develop meaningful national policy 
that strengthens CTE education, industry recognized 
credentials, and apprenticeship programs for the youth of our 
country. Our work in Maryland is both exciting and critical, as 
we collectively work to prepare all students for success in the 
skills-based economy. Thank you.
    [The Statement of Mr. Kincaid follows.]
   
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    Chairman Bean. Richard Kincaid, thank you so much. Right on 
time, my friend, well done, and you have got a much healthier, 
or lengthier testimony printed, and so thank you for 
summarizing it and bringing it in. Mr. Brandon Mabile, thank 
you, is coming in from Texas, and you all get snow in Texas, so 
you are no stranger to what is on the ground up here, but we 
are glad to have you here. You are recognized, welcome.

STATEMENT OF MR. BRANDON MABILE, STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, 
        PERFORMANCE CONTRACTORS, INC., SUGARLAND, TEXAS

    Mr. Mabile. Chairman Bean, Ranking Member Bonamici, and 
members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the invitation to 
testify this morning, and for the opportunity to discuss the 
construction workforce and policies to expand critical career 
pathways for high school students across the country.
    My name is Brandon Mabile, and I am the Strategic 
Development Manager for Performance Contractors, headquartered 
in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a member of Associated Builders 
and Contractors, better known as ABC.
    Today I am testifying on behalf of ABC, a national 
construction trade association with 68 chapters, representing 
more than 22,000 members. One of the key issues facing 
Performance and contractors throughout the construction 
industry is the severe workforce shortage that threatens our 
ability to thrive and build critical construction projects on 
time and on budget.
    To ensure the success of our business and the industry as a 
whole, Performance knows that we must locate, encourage and 
educate a new generation of skilled American workers, and 
ensure these hardworking and determined individuals are able to 
participate in the American workforce, and make a living right 
out of high school, if they so choose, at a time when they are 
most needed.
    Part of my role at Performance Contractors has been working 
with high schools and school districts to provide students with 
important exposure to the rewarding careers available through 
the skilled trades. While still facing outdated and inaccurate 
stigmas, a job in the skilled trades is vital work that 
requires a high skill level, intense focus, and a healthy work 
ethic.
    In the construction industry, highly skilled craft 
professionals are also able to obtain high-paying, high-demand 
jobs that are necessary in most every community throughout the 
country. We work to ensure that students are aware of the 
opportunities available to them, and the worthwhile skills 
education that Performance Contractors can provide them if they 
choose to take this career pathway.
    To provide these services to our high schools, Performance 
Contractors has joined with contractors and construction users 
throughout the country, but particularly in the greater Houston 
area to support and fund the Construction and Maintenance 
Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) education foundation. CMEF 
provides education to current and aspiring craft workers, both 
at its own facility, and through partnerships with local area 
high schools and community colleges.
    CMEF sponsors 62 area high schools, giving them access to 
the National Center for Construction Education and Research 
Curriculum. Additionally, CMEF connects high schools with 
contractor sponsors who provide personal protective equipment, 
construction materials, guest speakers and mentors to the high 
school programs, providing vital resources and important 
contacts and guidance to the students interested in the skills 
trades.
    CMEF has a current operating budget of $270,000 a year for 
its high school program, which has allowed us to serve our 
students. We are always looking for new partnerships and roads 
to let students, teachers and parents know about these 
important opportunities, and successful careers the skilled 
trades can provide.
    As a member of ABC, along with its 68 chapters, and its 
22,000 plus members, we continue to do our part to educate, 
craft, and management professionals using innovative and 
flexible learning models to build a safe, skilled, and 
productive workforce.
    A 2023 survey of ABC members indicated that 79 percent of 
ABC contractors have targeted outreach to high school students, 
high school graduates, and individuals with GED diplomas, and 
65 percent have targeted programs to community college students 
and graduates.
    ABC members partner with and offer internships for college, 
university and high school students, 74 percent and 62 percent 
respectively. 84 percent of ABC contractors offer paid 
internships to college universities and high school students. 
The construction industry must attract more than half a million 
additional workers on top of our normal pace of hiring in order 
to meet the demand for labor, according to a 2023 model 
developed by ABC.
    With nearly one in four construction workers over the age 
of 55, retirements continue to whittle away at our construction 
workforce. Simply put, our industry cannot afford to miss this 
opportunity to expand critical career pathways for the future 
of construction workers across the country.
    I look forward to discussing this important issue with the 
Committee today, and hopefully provide insight into the 
successful programs we have offered, and the lives we have 
enriched through our high school programs. Thank you.
    [The Statement of Mr. Mabile follows:]
   
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    Chairman Bean. Mr. Mabile, thank you very much. It is now 
the members turn to question our all-star panel. Put the clock 
on me as I will start the questioning. Bonamici is on deck. Mr. 
Corwin, thank you for coming forward, and your credentials are 
on the front lines of recruiting and putting up programs.
    We talked a little bit, and it is in your statement that we 
are only spending 3 percent of school district's generally 
across America are focused on these types of vocational 
programs. Where did we go wrong? Why is that such an imbalance, 
and why is it so important to partner with industry to make 
things happen?
    Mr. Corwin. Thank you, Chairman Bean. Especially for your 
leadership on this critical issue. I think we reference in our 
written testimony, recent research on the college for all 
mentality, and its connection to funding of CTE historically, 
and kind of the history of vocational education, which we know 
is fraught with--complicated it--has a complicated history.
    You know, I think the current moment that we're in right 
now, and from this, you know, esteemed panel, we know that 
there is great public support for CTE and skilled trades 
education. We also know that the students that participate have 
great success, both completing high school, and also attending 
college.
    I think when I consider priorities in terms of budgets and 
you look at that 3 percent figure, budgets are aligned with 
values, and that is a question that we really have to ask 
ourselves. It is unfortunately that you look at the 3 percent 
figure, and it would equate that our school systems and our 
educational leaders who are hard at work every day are not 
providing the same value to students who participate in skilled 
trades and CTE.
    Chairman Bean. We do have work to do, and that is why Ms. 
Bonamici brought up that we cannot afford everything, but the 
partnering with industry, it is truly a big deal. Ms. Mosley, 
thank you so much for the hospitality. A few months ago, we 
spent a better part of the day together touring Clay County 
schools.
    I have been blown away by how many programs from vet tech 
programs to paralegal, to we were building tiny houses, we were 
rebuilding engines of all the different classes today, and your 
success is truly amazing. I want to elevate what you have been 
doing.
    We had a conversation about how early is too early. You 
have a program of exposing 7th graders. Talk about that.
    Ms. Mosley. In Clay County we have our 7th and 8th grade 
students who are in junior high schools, and we offer 
exploratory CTE courses that are semester long courses that 
students can take as their electives, in addition to their 
academic courses. They can choose up to four of those by the 
time that they are in 7th and 8th grade.
    Those courses expose them to different careers, and they 
also expose them to the opportunities that are at each high 
school, and so we make sure that the courses that are offered 
at feeder junior high schools are the same ones that are 
offered at the high schools. We make sure that those students 
are able to go to the high schools and visit those programs, 
and we also share with them when they are in 8th grade, we have 
freshman expos that the parents can come to the high schools, 
and they can see all of the different programs at the high 
schools.
    As well as we have business partners and our postsecondary 
partners as well, so that the families can see the entire 
pipeline from junior high school through high school, and then 
career opportunities for them, and postsecondary opportunities 
for them as well.
    Chairman Bean. Very good. I think that introduction is 
helping breakdown the stigma that there are so many options, 
and your story about one of your former students building the 
hospital is truly a big deal. The stigma is something that ABC 
has been worried about.
    We talked a little about this, Brandon, earlier, and you 
say it is a real problem. Talk about, are we breaking down the 
stigma? Are we making progress?
    Mr. Mabile. We are trying, and part of the reason I am here 
today is hopefully to further breakdown that stigma. Everybody 
thinks construction is dirty. It is hot, or it is cold, it is 
unsafe. One of the things we are doing with ABC is our STEP 
safety management program, and STEP, platinum and diamond, 
which are the highest levels of STEP participants are actually 
now 800 percent safer than the construction industry average, 
and so bringing those safety numbers down, making it you know, 
using technology to introduce students to new ways of doing the 
construction work is very important to break those stigmas.
    Even things as simple as providing new B roll to local news 
stations, because when they talk about construction, they tend 
to use outdated workers doing unsafe things that are really no 
longer acceptable. Things as simple as that are steps that we 
are taking as an organization to reduce that stigma, and really 
trying to get in front of the guidance counselors, the parents, 
and the students to talk about the rewarding careers in the 
industry.
    Chairman Bean. 10-4. I think what will break that stigma 
too is money. There is big money in these jobs, including--I 
just met with a dealership that repairs trucks, and kids, young 
people, can make big money, $80,000.00 to $100,000.00, 
$120,000.00 repairing trucks, if they will just invest a few 
years there. Thank you all for kicking things off.
    I now will recognize Mr. Norcross from New Jersey, who is 
recognized for a series of questions or thoughts.
    Mr. Norcross.
    Mr. Norcross. Thank you, Chairman, and certainly to you and 
the Ranking member for this hearing, preparing students for 
success. I started my apprenticeship in 1979, and it does not 
happen very often that you go from the constructionsite to 
Congress, so this is near and dear to me, and certainly, more 
importantly than that, it is to our Nation, and what we need to 
do.
    The one thing that comes to mind typically when we look 
about the next generation of worker, I call it the big three. 
First and foremost, is the interest of the student, whether it 
is 7th grade or earlier. How do we know what is available to 
you? The second one is information on what is available, 
whether it is construction, machinist, auto mechanic, the list 
goes on and on.
    The third, and probably in many ways, the most significant 
is the educational stigma that goes along with this. The idea 
that college for all, or the only way to make it in America is 
through college. You know that stigma is incredibly difficult, 
and quite frankly, there are three areas that I guess 
contribute to this, it is so often teachers, counselors who 
tend to push people into the college mode because that is the 
way we do it.
    It is also society, and what we value. What we do here in 
the United States is very different than the German model, the 
model that we have in Switzerland. I just was on my way down to 
christen a ship in Key West. I was sitting next to the young 
lady who started a conversation, and she was a teacher. Talking 
about her children, and somehow, we started talking about what 
they are going to do.
    She told me the story, you know, her one son is going to 
college and the second one, he is not sure what he wants to do. 
She said to me, we have to give our children permission to look 
at what they consider non-traditional areas. Like going to a 
vo-tech school was for losers.
    Mr. Kincaid, how do we start to address those three big 
issues? First off, let students know that there is something 
else out there, get them the right information, and most 
importantly, how do we address mom and dad, who think the only 
way is through college?
    Mr. Kincaid. I appreciate your question, and I think this 
is something that we need to highlight nationally. Those three 
areas that you talked about, you know, the student and 
information to parents, and then also the sort of national 
stigma, all sort of go hand in hand.
    We did not enter this world of college as the only option 
overnight. It was an investment in that particular strategy, 
widespread on a national scale, and it was also you know, an 
incredible marketing campaign, right? To really shift us and 
our mindset into that direction. I think it would be wise for 
us, as a community of career and technical education 
professionals, to model that very similar strategy.
    Where are we investing our dollars, and is it enough to 
make sure that we are creating the workforce that we need, and 
that our students and families deserve, and also at the same 
time, are we being incredibly clear and leading on the 
messaging that we are providing to all of the stakeholders, 
families, communities across the country?
    From the student and the parent perspective, this is where 
schools and State agencies like the one that I work for, can do 
a better job. We need to be communicating the benefits of 
career and technical education, and talk about the value that 
apprenticeship can bring as a pathway to a job. Unfortunately, 
a number of companies have started to lead this effort when it 
really should have been a partnership to lead the effort of 
communicating that not every job requires a 4-year degree.
    Most jobs you can learn and earn through an apprenticeship 
model, and so it is on us to communicate that information as 
early as middle school, and perhaps even earlier in upper 
elementary school, so that students can begin seeing what they 
can become in the world of work. Career counselors is something 
in the State of Maryland that we have doubled down on to help 
make this connection and this communication to those families.
    Mr. Norcross. I certainly appreciate that. Our Department 
of Defense is literally spending tens of millions of dollars to 
attract and educate that next generation of ship building, so 
the idea that those, instead of college, now it is those and 
college, whichever way you want to go, but give them your 
permission, the idea that it is not worth it.
    I have three kids. A doctor, a lawyer, and an electrician. 
Only one of them has his house paid for and has a retirement 
fund that we all would be proud of. Anybody want to guess which 
one that is? It is the electrician. With that, I yield back.
    Chairman Bean. Thank you very much, Mr. Norcross. Up next 
is going to be McClain from Michigan, she will be followed by 
Ms. Bonamici. From the great State of Michigan, Representative 
McClain, you are recognized.
    Mrs. McClain. Thank you, Chairman Bean, always a pleasure 
to serve on your Committee, and thank you all for being here 
today. I think it is a critical topic for the Nation, for our 
children, for everyone, so I really appreciate you being here.
    Mr. Mabile, I have seen firsthand the work conducted by 
Associated Builders and Contractors when I visited Florida. 
Your east coast chapter. The concerning part, I think for me, 
when I spoke with some of your educators and whatnot, and 
apprentices there, the average age was about 28, which is not 
necessarily bad, but if we could get that average age down, and 
we could begin to incentivize earlier, I think that would help.
    If Congress incentivized middle school, high school, to 
create skilled trades programs, so to speak, for students, do 
you think that would obviously have a positive effect on our 
workforce in the future? I would like you to talk about if so, 
the criticalness and importance of incentivizing to these high 
school and middle schools and how we do that.
    Mr. Mabile. Yes, I think it would have a huge effect, and 
thank you, Congresswoman McClain. You really cannot underState 
how important it is, and some of the most impactful programs we 
have are things like we just did a middle school girls 
construction camp, where they got to come in and actually put 
their hands on some tools and introduce those things.
    Like I said in my opening statement, we need to hire a half 
million more construction workers a year on top of our 
replacement rate, and so every available worker is important to 
us. Giving those opportunities to high schools students, and to 
middle school students can only help.
    I can tell you in the State of Texas where before Senate 
Bill 5 was passed in 2012, high school students would not get 
graduating credit for vocational training. We only had three 
high schools that would work with us in the greater Houston 
area. Once Senate Bill 5 was passed in 2012, we now have 62 
high schools and a waiting list because we are simply out of 
people and resources to provide services to more high schools.
    When you incentivize it, when you build it they will come. 
The CTE directors are changing course on this, and they really 
want our input and our help.
    Mrs. McClain. What are the obstacles and hurdles that are 
not allowing incentives? What do you see that we can have an 
impact on to remove those obstacles and hurdles? One, what are 
they, and two, how do we fix them?
    Mr. Mabile. The biggest obstacle for a high school, or a 
school district is going to be financial. It is expensive to 
start a training program, and that is why we provide so much in 
the way of materials and personal protective equipment, and 
construction equipment, because it is very expensive to start 
this type of program, and so I think that is where the most 
impactful incentives would be for high schools to really get 
into CTE and craft education.
    Mrs. McClain. Okay. Can education providers be nimble and 
responsive like business and industry, right? I come from the 
business background. We have to be able to change on a dime. 
Let us just look at what happened during COVID. We had to adapt 
and adjust, and we had to do it rather rapidly. Do you believe 
that they can do the same thing, and especially collaborative 
with companies and trade schools?
    Mr. Mabile. Some of them absolutely can, and we see it time 
and time again. We have some great school districts in the 
Houston area that work with industry, and that are very quick 
to respond to changes in the industry, changes in technology, 
and they want our feedback. They want to hear what is going on 
because they want to graduate students that we can hire, and so 
I think they absolutely can.
    Mrs. McClain. In your opinion you believe that schools and 
educators can adapt quickly, right?
    Mr. Mabile. Yes. Yes, ma'am. Absolutely.
    Mrs. McClain. Ms. Mosley, first to develop programs that 
leave high school students with credentials to enter trades 
have proven to be efficient getting, and effective, getting 
students into lifelong careers, right? We have talked about 
that, but there is a supply, there is a demand, there is a 
need, right?
    How have you developed the CTE pipeline in your schools to 
get students with marketable credentials into registered 
apprenticeship programs?
    Ms. Mosley. In the Clay County School District, we actually 
have----
    Mrs. McClain. I am sorry, I cannot----
    Ms. Mosley. In the Clay County School District, we have two 
different pre-apprenticeship programs with the Northeast Board 
of Builders Association and the Electrical Training Alliance 
JATC. Those students take part of that, and then they are able 
to get preferential entry into the registered apprenticeship 
program, and they are actually those business partners work 
very closely with our schools, and so that is one of the things 
that we are doing is to participate in the pre-apprenticeship 
program, and we have also received grants from the State 
through the Pathways to a Career Opportunity.
    Mrs. McClain. The business education partnership has 
worked?
    Ms. Mosley. Absolutely.
    Mrs. McClain. Thank you.
    Chairman Bean. Thank you very much. Up next will be our 
Ranking Member Bonamici, followed by Mr. Thompson. Our Ranking 
Member from Oregon, Ms. Bonamici, you are recognized.
    Ms. Bonamici. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the 
witnesses. I am glad you are back, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Thompson 
and I co-chair the CTE caucus, and certainly understand the 
value of preparing students today for the industries of 
tomorrow. CTE programs offer a strong bridge between the 
classroom and good paying in demand careers, and I mentioned in 
my opening statement, and I know Mr. Corwin did as well, that 
they also help students stay in school.
    My home State of Oregon is a leader in making CTE programs 
accessible, in fact we have very high rates of students 
participating. CTE is in nearly every one of our high schools 
and is in every single one of our community colleges. I will 
give you a couple of examples that I am proud of.
    In St. Helen's, St. Helen's High School, which is in rural 
Columbia County, Oregon. They have seven different programs, 
including early childhood education, culinary arts, auto 
repairs, people from town bring their cars to this high school 
to get fixed. They also have a manufacturing class, which is 
great because they are very close geographically to the Oregon 
Manufacturing Innovation Center, which has research and 
development as well as advanced and additive manufacturing.
    Talk about exposure. This year Ulmick had 700 high school 
students from the region come through on Manufacturing Day to 
see what manufacturing really looks like. Then over on the 
Oregon coast, the Warrenton High School, I have spoken with 
educators and students there about CTE. They are really excited 
because they have classes in fisheries, in fish hatchery 
management.
    They appreciate the Perkins funding to help with equipment. 
Then in Hillsboro, Oregon, this is exciting because they have 
the first in the State registered youth apprenticeship program, 
where students earn and learn advanced manufacturing in 
partnership with the city of Hillsboro, and the semiconductor 
industry.
    We are doing some really great things. We just need to 
expand those opportunities. Mr. Kincaid, in your testimony you 
mentioned the Blueprint for Maryland's Future, and the five 
pillars of that program. The third pillar, college and career 
readiness, aims to prepare all students for both college and 
the workplace.
    How does Maryland use CTE programming to meet these goals, 
and why is CTE a useful approach to preparing students, not 
only for a job out of high school, but also for college?
    Mr. Kincaid. Yes. I appreciate that question, and it is 
something that I think Maryland, in particular, but a number of 
states nationally really grapple with to make sure that all 
students have access to CTE for all of the benefits that we 
have been talking about already today.
    Within the State of Maryland, the Blueprint becomes a 
critical sort of north star for us because we recognize that 
every student deserves an opportunity to move into the world of 
work and have a good job. It is our job as educators, to make 
sure that we have provided them with every opportunity and 
knowledge of every pathway in order to get there.
    One of the unique things about the Blueprint is it removes 
sort of this notion that CTE and apprenticeship is locked into 
some of the more traditional fields that have already been 
mentioned this morning. Things collectively known as the 
trades, right?
    When we think about apprenticeship and CTE, oftentimes it 
is the trades that are sort of elevated within that field, and 
Maryland is really taking a different approach to that in 
making apprenticeships available in many of the non-traditional 
areas that I spoke about in my testimony.
    We want to make sure that students, regardless of what 
field they want to go into know how to get to that field 
through a number of different pathways available to them.
    Ms. Bonamici. Okay. I do not want to cut you off, Mr. 
Kincaid, but I have another question, and the clock is ticking.
    Mr. Kincaid. Yes, ma'am.
    Ms. Bonamici. We know this is a popular topic, for most 
members, regardless of their party support CTE programming, 
especially for high school students, but despite that support 
we have seen Federal funding through the Perkins Act decline 
over the past four decades.
    I had mentioned earlier some of the equipment is very 
expensive, and you know, some of us who came from State 
legislatures or local government, or school boards know there 
is often not extra funding in the school district budget for 
this kind of equipment. It really makes a difference. In 1980, 
for example, funding for CTE was at 2.6 billion after adjusting 
for inflation in 2021 dollars.
    Today it is 1.3 billion. Right? About a half of what it 
once was, even though the number of students in secondary 
schools has increased. What would it mean to have additional 
Perkins funding, and what would Maryland do if an increase of 
funding in CTE through the Perkins program?
    Mr. Kincaid. Yes. I am really glad that you highlighted 
that statistic going all the way back to 1980 because we have 
seen a dramatic reduction in funding for these programs, even 
as interest in enrollment into these programs has increased in 
particular over the last couple of years.
    What this requires states to do like Maryland, and larger 
states like my home State of Texas, is to use State money to 
backfill, to create these level of experiences that are 
expected not only as our families, but also for our business 
partners and our economy in general.
    Using Perkins as a lever to reinvest additional funding 
into these programs would be a game changer for places like 
Maryland that rely not only on Federal funds to move this 
agenda forward, but also to make sure that we are well aligned 
with business and industry.
    Ms. Bonamici. It is a tremendous investment, but my time 
has expired, so I am going to have to yield back. Thank you, 
Mr. Chairman.
    Chairman Bean. It is a great question. Thank you, Ms. 
Bonamici. Our lineup is Thompson then Hayes. Let us go to the 
great State of Pennsylvania, Chair Thompson, you are 
recognized.
    Mr. Thompson. Chairman, thanks so much. Thanks for calling 
this hearing today. As Co-Chair of the bipartisan congressional 
Career and Technical Education Caucus, alongside Ranking Member 
Bonamici, I have seen firsthand how Federal CTE programs 
successfully help jobseekers find the next wrung on the ladder 
of opportunity, from agriculture to the arts, and that is why I 
spell STEAM, S-T-E-A-A-M. I throw agriculture in there.
    From marketing to manufacturing, CTE programs work to 
develop America's most valuable resource, its people. With more 
than 12 million students currently enrolled in CTE programs 
across the country, the nearly 9 million vacant jobs, we must 
continue to strengthen Federal investments, CTE programs, to 
connect educators with industry stakeholders.
    Ms. Mosley, thank you very much for being here today, and 
for all the work you do ensuring the success of CTE programs in 
Clay County. In your testimony I could not help but notice as 
the Chair of the House Agriculture Committee, that you offer 
CTE programs in agriculture.
    I have seen many of these CTE based agriculture programs 
succeed throughout the country, including in my district. Can 
you talk a little more about these programs that you oversee, 
and what more can we be doing from a CTE perspective to inspire 
the next generation of American agriculturalists.
    Ms. Mosley. Thank you for your questions, Representative 
Thompson, and I am sitting here actually with an agriculture 
education FFA portfolio because agriculture is my background, I 
actually my family, I am raising my daughter on our sixth-
generation family farm. I was an agriculture teacher before I 
came to the county office.
    In our--whenever I first started teaching agriculture in 
Clay County, there was only three of us. Now we have 11 
agriculture programs across the county, and we have them in 
places like Oakleaf High School, where we teach agriculture 
biotechnology, and we also teach agribusiness management and 
leadership.
    That high school is actually a suburban high school, and 
whenever we built that high school, the director at the time 
people questioned him like you are going to be an agriculture 
program in a suburban area, and he said absolutely. Every 
student needs to have the opportunity to explore an industry 
that meets the most basic needs of our people of food, clothing 
and shelter.
    Whenever I was at Oakleaf High School, I actually had the 
opportunity to serve on a committee for selecting their FFA 
officers last year, and over and over in there whenever I would 
ask him what has FFA, and agriculture education meant to you, 
they would talk about I had no idea all the different careers 
that were out there.
    Through field trips, and their work with their CTSO, FFA. 
It has exposed them to all kinds of different careers. They 
also talked about how they found a home in their FFA chapter, 
in their agriculture program because Oakleaf High School is a 
very big school, and many of them were 9th and 10th grade 
students who like didn't have their place in high school, but 
once they joined that agriculture program, they were very, 
very--they found a place, and they were excited to be there.
    We are also very fortunate in Clay County to have a lot of 
support from our agriculture organizations, like our country 
fair, our Farm Bureau. In fact, our county fair has a livestock 
auction where the students can take their supervised 
agriculture experiences there to the auction, and they generate 
over a half a million dollars through our livestock auction, 
through our country fair, that students are able to use for 
their future education.
    Those are just a few ways in Clay County that we have 
supported agriculture education
    Mr. Thompson. Very good. Well, thank you very much. Those 
youth livestock auctions are--I buy a lot of critters to 
support those kids, that is really important. I always like to 
say that one of the reasons CTE programs are so successful is 
because students complete them with a certificate or diploma in 
one hand, and multiple job offers in the other.
    The only way to make that a reality, however, is by 
ensuring that those who sign the front of a paycheck, local 
employers and businesses are involved in these programs. Ms. 
Mosley, if local business want to get involved with CTE 
programs to address their workforce needs, what steps should 
they take to establish a connection?
    Ms. Mosley. They should reach out to their local CTE 
leadership, and or their high schools, and they should get 
involved in advisory boards. We have 14 different advisory 
boards, and their job is to advise, assist and advocate for 
CTE, and that is really the foundation of business partnerships 
for Clay County.
    Through those advisory boards we talked about the trends 
and issues that they are seeing in their industry, and how we 
can address them in the school district, and through our 
teachers. Part of that advisory board also has postsecondary.
    It also has those teachers, and so they should become part 
of an advisory board because they help direct that work of mock 
job interviews, guest speakers, field trips and a lot of those 
work-based learning opportunities that we are able to provide.
    Mr. Thompson. Well thank you very much. Mr. Chairman, my 
time is about to expire.
    Chairman Bean. Thank you very much. Well done. Well done. 
Our lineup will be Hayes, then Miller. Let us go to 
Connecticut, where Representative Hayes is recognized for 
questions. Good morning.
    Mrs. Hayes. Thank you, and thank you to our witnesses for 
being here today. I would first like to say congratulations to 
Ms. Mosley on being Florida New Teacher of the Year for CTE. It 
is kind of a big deal, and also you have no idea what you just 
did for the Chairman's heart by speaking to Ag. I brought him 
to my district to visit our Vo-Ag school, and I have been 
pushing for those same things, so thank you so much for 
articulating that so beautifully.
    I am pleased to be here with all of you today discussing 
how this Committee can expand access to career and technical 
education. I am a teacher by profession, and I am the biggest 
champion for CTE training for allowing students multiple 
pathways to achieve the American dream because 15 years in the 
classroom talking to thousands of students, I know that college 
is not for everyone.
    Last Congress, we passed the bipartisan Infrastructure 
Investments and Jobs Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act, 
which together are expected to add millions of new 
infrastructure, clean energy and manufacturing jobs.
    These high wage, high skilled jobs will require a robust 
pipeline of talented workers graduating from our high schools, 
so it is imperative that we make the investments and do this 
work.
    Mr. Kincaid, we have heard a lot about CTE staffing 
shortages, and the most common concern we hear is that 
qualified experienced technical instructors have a high 
turnover rate because of the salaries and competing with the 
private sector. I can also tell you from my personal experience 
it was always very difficult to bring in experienced business 
partners to teach in the classrooms because we had the barriers 
with certification and credentialing them to be in a classroom.
    We cannot just have people standing in front of students 
who have read about these things, we need some people with real 
world experience who have led factories, who have led 
automotive shops, who have actually worked in the business 
world to really teach students what to expect when they enter 
these professions.
    Can you address what you have learned about how to address 
those staffing shortages, and just the barriers to 
credentialing certified professionals to stand in front of 
students?
    Mr. Kincaid. Yes. Thank you for the question. It is no 
secret there is a national shortage, particularly within CTE of 
high qualified teachers. What it is going to require us to do 
is to think differently about how we staff classrooms, 
particularly in skilled areas like CTE.
    Leaning into my past experience in the District of Columbia 
competing with a hospital trying to hire a nurse to teach in 
the nursing program is problematic. We will never be able to 
meet the salary requirements, but that skill that that 
particular person would bring to the table, students would 
benefit from immensely.
    We had to create a partnership with Trinity Washington 
University at the area technical center that was recently 
opened in D.C. where teachers in front of high school students 
come from the university, the postsecondary space. That 
partnership has generated numerous benefits, not only for you 
know, D.C. and the students, but also in honing that faculty's 
sort of, you know, grooming the future.
    States have to begin looking at valuing work experience of 
people coming from industry, and figuring out different ways 
and pathways to certification so that these highly experienced 
folks can be in our classrooms.
    In the meantime, it is teachers and administrators reaching 
out to those in industry and making sure that they are involved 
in the classroom, making sure that they are integrated very 
intentionally into the work that we are doing, within the CTE 
space.
    Mrs. Hayes. That is actually a terrific model because 
students would benefit from someone who has one foot in the 
classroom and one foot in the field who is continually updating 
their skillset, and seeing the challenges that are facing the 
world today.
    I heard the Chairman mention Microsoft Word, and computer 
programming. I can tell you that at my high school generally 
the students knew more about programming than any of the 
teachers who were teaching those classes because they were 
literally in real time experiencing it.
    Finally, you talked about some barriers for underserved 
students who access pathways. In the last 30 seconds, can you 
tell us how you have addressed helping minorities, girls, 
students from communities that would historically be 
underserved.
    Mr. Kincaid. Absolutely, in the CTE space we have looked 
almost ad nauseum at gender and race gaps, and we are guiding 
students into pathways. I would say that as we think about 
apprenticeships and retooling students for the skills-based 
future, things like transportation and economics become the 
equity issues that we are going to have to solve next.
    Mrs. Hayes. Thank you, thank you so much. Lunch is another 
one, I appreciate your testimony. I yield back
    Chairman Bean. Thank you, and for the record Ms. Hayes was 
recognized as the 2016 National Teacher of the Year, how about 
that? Our lineup will be Miller, DeSaulnier, and then Foxx. Let 
us go to the State of Illinois where Representative Miller is 
recognized for questions.
    Mrs. Miller. Thank you, Chairman. Mr. Mabile, you mentioned 
in your testimony that Associated Building and Contractors 
chapters offer more than 800 work-based learning programs 
across the country. Could you say more about how employers 
support CTE students seeking to move from high school into 
careers, in the skilled trades with the skills and education 
they need to build thriving careers.
    Mr. Mabile. Yes, So some of the things that we are doing is 
providing mentorship, both to the instructors, and to the 
students, and showing them pathways, helping them to develop 
the soft skills that they need to get into a career in the 
industry. We do things like construction boot camps that are 
really focused on getting to work on time and learning the 
things that you are going to need to know on day one.
    One of the funnest things we are doing now are national 
signing days whereas these high school students are graduating. 
We have a bunch of contractors come up, and we put the hats on 
the table, and they get to put the hat on and say I am going to 
performance contractors, or I am going to wherever.
    Just showing them the path, and then also teaching them 
about the path from once they get in to the many different 
career paths that exist for an entry level construction worker, 
depending on where they choose to pursue further education.
    Mrs. Miller. I love that. Ms. Mosley, could you tell us 
more about how schools in Clay County establish businesses that 
give students hands on experience, which align with career and 
technical education programs?
    Ms. Mosley. In Clay County we have several school-based 
enterprises. For example, in our early childhood education 
programs, for students who want to become teachers. We have 
childcare centers where there are actually preschools on 
campus, and our CTE teachers teach our high school students how 
to work with those students. We also, for example, have Five 
Star Credit Union and Garber Auto Mall, that they have 
businesses there in our school.
    We actually have four Five Star Credit Unions that have 
branches inside of our schools that students as part of the 
business program could apply to be interns, and then they can 
work in that on school credit union branch. Garber Auto Mall 
came to us a couple of years ago, and they said we have a need 
for technicians, and the age of our employee, they are going to 
retire, and we have this need, and so they said but we need 
them to have manufacture specific certifications.
    We explained to them that the industry certifications that 
we offer our students have to come off the Florida Department 
of Education CAPE funding list. They said well, what if we send 
somebody after school to work with the students on those 
manufacture specific certifications, so we have students that 
applied to that, and they work there after school with Garber 
Auto Mall employees.
    Here, when we talk about barriers for students, they also 
take them to Garber, and there were some students, so they will 
work a couple days a week at the school, and then a couple days 
at Garber, but that they found that there was some students 
that did not have access there, so they actually we worked with 
them to help shuttle them, they provided a Garber shuttle after 
school, and the parents could pick them up from Garber.
    We also have culinary programs that operate onsite 
restaurants, and catering programs as well as our agriculture 
program has a floral design business, and we have a lot of 
business programs that have graphic designs that business 
partners can give them projects, like hey, we need a new logo, 
or something like that, as well as printing different 
materials.
    Those are just a few of the school-based enterprises that 
we have in the Clay County School District.
    Mrs. Miller. I commend you for the work you are doing, 
thinking outside the box, and looking for solutions for 
students and for our businesses to help fill the needs that 
they have. Do you have early dismissal for students that want 
to actually go work somewhere?
    Ms. Mosley. If students have like room in their schedule 
where they can, then and they already have their credits, then 
they can leave, and they can use of the internships like for 
example, with Clay County Utility Authority they came to us and 
they said we have an issue, again similar to Garber, where we 
have an aging workforce, and we do not have water treatment 
operators, wastewater treatment, a lot of our programs.
    We actually have an internship program with them where they 
can where the students apply to work at the utility, and they 
are actually earning hours that they can get toward their 
license for the water and wastewater treatment plant, and so a 
lot of our students when they are seniors, they only have a 
couple of credits left, and the school counselors and our 
college and career coaches work closely with them to have those 
classes at the beginning of the day, so then they could leave 
and go work with their business partners, like Clay County 
Utility Authority.
    Mrs. Miller. That is fantastic. I love to hear how flexible 
you are. Do you know if these opportunities are common in 
schools across the rest of the State and country?
    Ms. Mosley. I think they are very common in Florida for 
sure. There is a lot of examples around the State of where 
business partners have worked with a different school district 
to provide internships in different work-based learning 
opportunities.
    Mrs. Miller. Thank you.
    Chairman Bean. Thank you very much. Let us go to California 
where Mr. DeSaulnier is recognized for thoughts or questions.
    Mr. DeSaulnier.
    Mr. DeSaulnier. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. You are always 
welcome in California where the temperature is considerably 
higher right now. Mr. Kincaid, I want to talk to you about your 
youth apprenticeship programs. In California, historically 
50's, 60's, when we had an aerospace industry, and a lot of 
infrastructure for that, part of the culture in high school was 
career tech.
    We moved away from that like the rest of the country. 
Somewhat I think because our UCs, CSUs, and community colleges 
were so successful, but also because those degrees were the 
knowledge-based economy. Now we find ourselves sort of we want 
to do both. I was recently talking to my friends in the 
California building trades, and my local building trades. They 
told me a lot of their members are college graduates who are 
actually going back.
    I wanted you to talk to me a little bit about your youth 
apprenticeship programs in Maryland. In my area that I 
represent, it is the industrial area of Northern California. 
You have got five oil refineries who are transitioning as we 
want to move our energy sources. But one of we have been very 
successful with the republican and democratic Governors, well 
back when we had those, Governor Schwarzenegger in particular, 
where we were opening academies.
    In a lot of the lower income schools where the industrial 
belt is, I found when I visited those that the whole school 
knew about these 25 kids who were getting apprenticeship 
standards, or where companies like Chevron was working with the 
building trades.
    Can you speak to your experience about the value of people 
who are young and trying to decide what kind of careers to be 
in, but also in disadvantaged communities where it is more of a 
challenge?
    Mr. Kincaid. Yes. In Maryland, we really launched headfirst 
into youth apprenticeships, really around 2016, with the launch 
of Apprenticeship Maryland, and the focus was the youth 
apprenticeship model. I feel like we are making great progress 
in making sure that students know that this is a pathway 
available to them.
    I mentioned in my testimony earlier in the year with about 
1,000 students, which has nearly doubled what we had a year ago 
at this point. With youth apprenticeship programs, one of the 
things that we have been very particular about in Maryland is 
we do not want it to be sort of an elevated internship, nor do 
we want it to be a watered-down apprenticeship program.
    It is sort of finding the balance between making sure it is 
a valuable experience that industry also values because that is 
where students are moving toward, right? Also giving students a 
flexibility to still be high school kids. We hear a lot about 
the German and Swiss models, and you know, we are modeled 
differently in our education system.
    While we still value sort of the same direction that those 
other countries are heading toward, you know, we need to really 
make sure that the apprenticeship programs that we develop help 
kids get to the world of work, knowing that they are still 
students.
    I would speculate that moving forward in Maryland we put 
some guardrails up. Youth apprenticeship typically ends at 
graduation. We want to make sure that there is some commitment 
with employers post-graduation, so that students have the 
ability to continue on within that craft, within that, you 
know, vocation post-graduation.
    Really leading into what are some of the best 
characteristics of a full registered apprenticeship, while 
still valuing the fact that a lot of these kids are 16 and 17 
years old.
    Mr. DeSaulnier. An interesting part is when I was in the 
legislature in California, and we had we went and talked to the 
Germans and the Swiss, and one of the Germans said to me, you 
know, it is funny you are asking us how we do this because we 
copied you in many ways, post World War II.
    It is interesting how these things change. In the energy 
field it is important these young people get the training, but 
the continuous training. Again, the German model where people 
are going back to work, so somebody who is working in an oil 
refinery gets a good paying job right now in California, but 
they have got to be prepared to maybe move out, or at least the 
next generation.
    How do you get that flexibility? Dual enrollment also was a 
question I wanted to ask you about where young people are 
trying to decide in the dynamic that I mentioned where people 
with bachelor's degrees are going back in the trade like work. 
Being flexible, but also realizing this is continuous education 
for this workforce.
    Mr. Kincaid. High-quality, CTE programs integrate things 
like an industry credential, and work-based learning 
experience, like internship or apprenticeship and college 
credit, right? In Maryland we lean into all of those things 
with the Blueprint, and we want to make sure that students when 
they graduate have the ability to move into any one of the 
pathways, and they are well-equipped to do so, right?
    I do, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that in order 
for an apprenticeship, or any other sort of CTE program to 
function effectively, there has to be a, you know, a 
demolishing of silos right? Education and industry must work 
hand in hand.
    All of these players have to be at the table so that we can 
make sure that education is responsive to the very quick needs 
of industry, but also industry knows the importance of the 
education that students are receiving, and that education is 
being crafted in such a way that it is going to make a 
successful student going into the world of work.
    Mr. DeSaulnier. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield 
back.
    Chairman Bean. Thank you, Mr. DeSaulnier. Our lineup is 
Foxx then Owens, it is a pleasure always to welcome the big 
Chair of Education and Workforce, face it she has got just a 
tremendous education background herself. Dr. Foxx, you are 
recognized.
    Mrs. Foxx. Thank you. I know you mean that metaphorically, 
so thank you Mr. Chairman. I appreciate our witnesses being 
here today, this is a topic that is always near and dear to my 
heart. Mr. Corwin, you mentioned how high school skilled trades 
education leads to better educational outcomes.
    As schools continue to confront COVID related learning 
loss, can you discuss how high-quality CTE programs can 
reengage students in their learning, particularly for students 
who may have fallen off track during the pandemic?
    Mr. Corwin. Thank you for your question, Chair Foxx. I 
think it is a really critical one. We have heard a little bit 
about the educational outcomes that CTE students achieve, but 
we have also heard that often times high school students----
    Mrs. Foxx. Will you pull the mic closer to yourself?
    Mr. Corwin. Certainly. We have also heard that high school 
students often come to school for their CTE class because it is 
engaging their relationship with their teacher, and it is hands 
on, and that is what so many of our talented students want to 
do. We have surfaced some research on the socio-emotional 
benefits for skilled trades that you reference in terms of 
COVID.
    A recent study of high school students in Sonoma County, by 
Youth Truth, found that students who participate in CTE classes 
or work based-learning are full cortile more likely to report 
being--taking pride in their school work, and also more than 
twice as likely as those who do not take such classes, to say 
that there is an adult at school that they can talk to when 
feeling upset, stressed, or having problems.
    As a program of a foundation, Harbor Freight Tools for 
Schools, one of the things that we take pride in doing is 
making small grants to teachers and especially during the time 
of COVID, we were looking for ways to--we asked teachers how 
can we help in terms of bringing kids back into the fold, and 
making them feel like they are a meaningful part of their 
coursework.
    They came up with ideas to engage their students using 
their skills and their talents in their communities. One 
example was from Freedom, Wisconsin, where the students 
actually refurbished a trailer for a veteran to have that as a 
space where he could live.
    That process of giving students and empowering them to 
design programs, you know, our Gen Z population really want to 
find meaning in their schoolwork, and that type of community 
impact is really critical as well.
    Mrs. Foxx. Yes. These are principles that I think we have 
always known, but they do not always get applied. Ms. Mosley, I 
have been fighting my whole career to breakdown stigmas 
associated with skills education. Could you talk about how your 
school district is integrating skills education into the 
general high school curriculum, and promoting skills education 
as a viable pathway?
    Ms. Mosley. Thank you for your question, Chair Foxx. In 
Clay County school districts, industry certifications are 
incredibly important to the school's grade from the Florida 
Department of Education, and they are a win/win/win for 
everybody because it impacts the school's grade, it is great 
credential for the students after they graduate high school, 
and it brings back bonus money to the schools.
    With those industry certifications, many of our schools 
highlight students who have completed a career pathway, or they 
have earned an industry certification at graduation with cords 
that the students are so excited to wear. They are recognized 
at senior awards. We even have one high school, Middleburg High 
School, where they have the CTE student of the week, as well as 
they have the scholar of the week, the citizen of the week, and 
athlete of the week.
    Career and technical education students are held in the 
same regard as students in the other venues within the school. 
We believe that that is one of the ways that it is held in the 
high regard, and that we are promoting the pathways for those 
students.
    Mrs. Foxx. Thank you very much. Mr. Mabile, many skills 
education programs offer students an opportunity to earn 
industry recognized credentials, along with their high school 
diploma. Can you discuss some of the credential's students are 
able to earn through the National Center for Construction 
Education and Research, and how this impacts their career 
opportunities postgraduation.
    Mr. Mabile. Yes, Dr. Foxx. The NCCR offers credentials for 
most construction trades, and the beauty of the NCCR credential 
is that it is portable, and that it is stackable. It is 
recognized throughout the country, and it really helps a 
student because the construction workforce is often transient. 
They go from job to job, and from area to area.
    But because of the NCCR, and the way the training is set 
up, they could take a semester with my company. They could move 
on to one of my competitors and take their second semester, 
move on again and take their third semester, and really take 
that credential anywhere through the country, so it really 
opens up avenues for their future career growth, because it is 
such a portable credential.
    Mrs. Foxx. Thank you very much. I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
    Chairman Bean. Thank you very much, Dr. Foxx. Our final 
presenter, unless somebody else sneaks in--is a friend, a 
colleague, he is also the Chair of the Higher Education 
Subcommittee. Mr. Owens from Utah, you are recognized.
    Mr. Owens. Thank you, Mr. Chair. First of all, it is crazy 
that sometimes Congress seems to be--this is one area it looks 
like we are all on the same page. It has really been very 
rewarding to hear how as a bipartisan process we are going to 
address this. I thank you for what you are doing. It is such an 
important piece to make sure our kids have a great future.
    I have long been a supporter of educational choice and 
freedom and allowing children or students to excel in fields of 
study that are most in line with their interests. I am proud to 
be a proponent of the career and technical education, and as 
one of the multiple pathways of future success.
    I have submitted for the record a document from the Western 
Governor's Association that highlights the importance of CTE, 
especially in the western states, and encourage Congress to 
take action to strengthen the workforce through a robust 
support of CTE. I have a unique background.
    My dad was a college professor, and Ms. Mosley, he was 
actually an educator in agriculture. He got his Ph.D. in Iowa 
State, forty years. I know how exciting it is when you can 
actually work with your hands and have the ability to move 
forward and then have a career.
    I do appreciate being in that environment. One of the 
things that was talked about before is how did we get here, 
where we have to have now try to change the way we consider 
careers. We have spent decades of investments and marketing 
that has been one way to make this all happen. Part of this is 
what we are doing in the K through 12.
    If we have counselors that are coming out and not teaching 
these options, or counselors that without a school would not 
allow these options to be even taught or discussed, it causes a 
problem. I guess I want to start with you, Mr. Corwin. How do 
we address that? We talked about schools being nimble because 
of the supply and demand.
    We all know that we have such a great sector of 
opportunities of kids who are not being trained or taught. How 
do we make sure that in K through 12, what are the incentives 
that we might think of that we could have these counselors 
begin to show that there are other options other than a 4-year 
college?
    Mr. Corwin. Thank you, Congressman Owens. It is a great 
question. I think, you know, our role in this work has been to 
shine a light on excellence. We have been honored to award 133 
skill trades teachers with this prize for teaching excellence. 
I think you were able to attend one of those celebrations in 
Utah.
    It is our hope that we can share the best practices that we 
are seeing from these educators across the country. The 
counselor role needs to be lifted up in terms of the importance 
that they play in helping students to get to college and 
connect with careers.
    We have found that a dedicated counselor, or sometimes an 
intermediary organization that can make those connections 
between high school and work base learning opportunities is 
critical to success. Those folks as well. The counselors need 
to be recognized for the incredible work that they are doing. 
They need to be lifted up. They need to be supported by non-
profits and other community organizations, and business needs 
to be at the table.
    We have really got to break down those barriers between K-
12, workforce development, and industry and higher ed.
    Mr. Owens. Thank you. And Ms. Mosley, you actually 
mentioned how early your program starts, and that's so 
important. We talked about the dual enrollment program that's 
becoming increasingly popular. How can we encourage more 
schools and colleges to have that understanding of the dual 
enrollment? Being able to, as young people come through high 
school, have actual credit in a college they may go into later 
on? How could we encourage that, and maybe what are some of the 
challenges that you are seeing so far?
    Ms. Mosley. Some of the challenges for us would be that the 
transportation barrier. If the course cannot be taught on the 
high school campus, there are going to be a lot of barriers for 
some students that do not have transportation to actually get 
to the college campus where they are taught.
    The conversation needs to be between the postsecondary 
institution and the high school is either to figure out the 
transportation issue, or to similarly like he was saying with 
the health science program, to have adjunct professors that are 
able to come onto the high school campus, and to teach them 
there, to break down that barrier for students.
    Mr. Owens. Now is that something you would be able to do 
with your--in your training facilities, in which some of my 
colleagues have had a chance to see so far?
    Ms. Mosley. Yes. I believe in many of our CTE programs 
thanks to the funding that we have had from the Perkins Act 
that we have a lot of great equipment and programs, and we 
would be able to teach them. I think that we would probably 
have to have additional funding to be able to upgrade some of 
those programs.
    Mr. Owens. I had questions for the other two. I really 
appreciate what you guys are doing, seriously. This is probably 
one of the more important conversations we can have as a nation 
to make sure our kids can supply that workforce, give it the 
supply we all need right now, so thanks so much. I appreciate 
your efforts. I yield back.
    Chairman Bean. Thank you, Mr. Owens. Let us go to New York, 
Mr. Williams, Brandon Williams you are recognized for thoughts 
or questions.
    Mr. Williams. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Chairman Bean, thank 
you for bringing this topic to the forefront. It is absolutely 
critical in my district. Workforce development at all levels is 
critical to the economic success of our area. We are very 
fortunate to be anticipating the single largest CHIPS Act grant 
for chip fabrication in the entire country, and we need the 
workforce to get us there, and that involves everyone in our 
district.
    Have any of you are any of you familiar with the term 
industry 4.0? Have you heard that term? The industrial 
revolution that began 160 years ago or so, really was a 
transformation of labor to a form of machines. The machines 
performing labor, and that had this migration off the farms and 
into the factories. We have all studied the industrial 
revolution.
    That continued into the 70's and 80's when computers and 
automation really began to augment what humans could do, but it 
also increased the sophistication of the machines that were 
involved in every level of what we do. Today we are on the 
verge and are entering, what is called the fourth industrial 
revolution, which is digitally enabled technologies that 
permeate things that are in the trades in construction and 
manufacturing, and all the things that are involved in this 
next generation workforce.
    It is digital technologies, it is robotics, it is 
artificial intelligence, all of these things are actually 
allowing what historically we think of as blue-collar jobs to 
be able to add much greater value in their labor, and therefore 
command much higher wages.
    In many ways it is not exactly true, but it is almost like 
inverting the pyramid of what we grew up with that the 
traditional education path puts you on an increasing pyramid to 
have and be able to command a higher and higher premium for 
your labor. Today because of the fourth industrial revolution, 
that pyramid is inverted that in order to install, maintain an 
HVAC system requires a tremendous amount of technical knowledge 
and skills to operate a refinery.
    We are in the process of increasing the technology, the 
compute technology in our refineries and chemical plants by 
1,000 fold. Not 1,000 percent, 1,000 fold so that we are 
actually running artificial intelligence in the control loops 
or the production systems in our economy.
    What does that mean for what you do? Is that you are 
preparing an extraordinarily important and talented group of 
workers that will and are going to be well paid, that are 
entirely out of line with the education system that we have 
grown up with. I am very excited about it, and have been 
involved in that, and you are a critical part, and critical to 
our district.
    One question I would like to address, it is not a got you 
question, it is a genuine question. We are fortunate to have 
great STEM education in my district. I like drawing attention 
to Dr. DeSiato who was the New York State Superintendent of the 
Year for the entire State, and she runs an excellent K through 
12 system, the Minoa East Syracuse System, and does a great job 
with STEM.
    Is STEM competing with CTE? Are these mutually exclusive? 
Are they complimentary? How can we make these two important 
initiatives work together to achieve a desired outcome? Can 
anybody help me out with that? Mr. Kincaid, we are going to go 
to you, sir.
    Mr. Kincaid. Great. Thank you. The hard question, right AI? 
My grandma thinks the machines are taking over, so you know, 
there is certainly a shift in how we are educating students in 
the future. In order to get students to where they need to be 
in the workforce, it requires educators to work very directly 
with these emerging industries like what you are talking about.
    This is not your grandma's Oldsmobile anymore, right? We 
have to be nimble. We have to be connected to the industry and 
the emerging technologies, and more importantly, the folks that 
are leading this innovation with an industry need to be highly 
responsive and involved in schools so that we are making sure 
that we are teaching the right components.
    I would also that--this highlights the need for teacher 
externships as well, making sure that those folks that are in 
our classrooms understand how the technologies is changing, 
even within that workforce, so they can bring that knowledge 
back to their students. It is going to require a much different 
level of collaboration than what we have ever experienced, in 
order to make sure that we are prepared and can drive this 
economy in the direction that it needs to go.
    Mr. Williams. That is a fantastic answer, and a really 
solid and good connection. My time is expired. Thank you. I 
yield back.
    Chairman Bean. Thank you, Mr. Williams. Let us go to 
California. The Sub Chairman of Workforce Protections has just 
slipped in, and he is recognized for thoughts or questions, Mr. 
Kiley of California.
    Mr. Kiley. Well thank you very much, Mr. Chair, and thank 
you for convening this hearing on a really important topic, and 
I think an underappreciated topic, and one that probably does 
not get enough focus when it comes to public policy. I was 
really struck, Mr. Corwin, by a statistic from your testimony 
that spending on CTE makes up just 3 percent of the estimated 
overall funding for high school and middle school education in 
the United States.
    Just 3 percent, and that is despite the manifold benefits 
of career education in schools, just to sort of reiterate some 
from your testimony, as well as some of our other witnesses, 
you know. This is something that is overwhelmingly desired by 
parents and by students.
    You cite in your research that 80 percent of parents favor 
greater offerings of career educations in schools. Frankly, 
that sounds low to me. I do not think I have ever talked to a 
parent who does not think it is a good idea to have more 
opportunities for students to engage here.
    From the perspective of academic achievement, there are so 
many benefits to having career education offerings in our 
schools. In fact, your research shows that when students engage 
in career education, they are actually more likely to graduate, 
and from high school they are more likely to enroll in 
postsecondary education.
    There are social emotional benefits. Their enthusiasm for 
learning increases, their pride in their schoolwork increases. 
I can affirm this from my own experience, having been a high 
school teacher. I can tell you how much pride and excitement 
students had for these sort of classes where they could really 
do hands on work, and how that has sort of spilled over into 
their broader coarse work.
    It made them excited to come to school. It gave them hope 
and a sense of purpose. Beyond that, the pathways that we are 
creating here are to really good jobs that can pay well, that 
young people can build a career around, and then more than that 
it is filling critical workforce needs.
    Mr. Corwin, in your research you cite one statistic that 88 
percent of construction firms have trouble finding skilled 
workers. There are over 73,000 openings for electricians every 
single year. It just makes all the sense in the world to focus 
more, to invest more in this area, yet still just 3 percent of 
resources are being spent specifically on career education.
    This is a question for Mr. Corwin, or for any of our other 
witnesses as well. That you have cited a lot of very successful 
programs which do exist all across the country, and we have 
also discussed barriers such as a lack of trained teachers and 
other resources. Can you kind of highlight some jurisdictions 
that have managed to not just offer sort of isolated, 
successful programs, but have been able to offer these 
opportunities to students at scale?
    What has it taken to sort of awaken the political will to 
make the investments, and to take the steps that are necessary 
to not just have a successful program here and there to make it 
fundamentally part of the offerings available to all students 
within those jurisdictions.
    Mr. Corwin. Sure. I mean I think where we have seen the 
greatest success, and students and schools flourish around CTE. 
That has been where there has been the collaboration and the 
partnership between K-12 and industry and workforce 
development.
    As we have talked about breaking down those barriers, I 
mean one that comes to mind is in Colorado, in Denver. There is 
a combination of comprehensive high schools that are doing 
phenomenal CTE work, career technical centers, and industry is 
at the table.
    There is support by elected officials across the board, and 
that is what our students deserve--that type of partnership 
having their backs and providing these opportunities. I think 
one of the reasons we were really excited to be included today 
is part of our role is to raise attention to this issue with 
other funders, and with industry, and with other sectors.
    When our founder heard that CTE did not have much financial 
support, there were not many other foundations supporting the 
work, it really was not much of a power behind the work. He 
said that is where I want to go. That is where I want to kind 
of be a spark and see if we can be a model, and have other 
folks follow, and just by today's discussion I am really 
excited to hear that this is beginning to happen, so thank you.
    Mr. Kiley. Well, thank you, and thanks very much for the 
work that you are doing. I yield back.
    Chairman Bean. Thank you very much. We are nearing the end 
of our Committee. I am really proud of this, the members, we 
had great conversation. We had great--we came together, I 
think. I want to thank Ranking Member Bonamici. I am about to 
yield to you, Ranking Member, for your final thoughts, but I 
want to thank you personally.
    I think we both illustrated that both sides of the aisle 
can come together and elevate that we have work to do. We have 
work to do to let everybody know there are choices out there, 
that there is not a one pathway, or a one size fits all. Ms. 
Bonamici, you have sold me on joining the CTE Caucus, which I 
am looking forward to coming and being a part of that. What are 
your final thoughts before we adjourn?
    Ms. Bonamici. Well, we appreciate that, Mr. Chairman, and I 
have often said as a senior member of this Committee that we 
need to make sure everyone has a path, and not everyone is on 
the same path. I think this is an important conversation. We 
know that career and technical education is a way for students 
to explore those career pathways, gain relevant and competitive 
skills.
    That hands-on learning that we talked about is so 
important. I have to emphasize that CTE benefits students 
regardless of what path they take. Whether they go into college 
or a workforce program and directly into a career as we 
mentioned, and I know Mr. Corwin has continued to mention, CTE 
courses help keep students in school.
    They increase graduation rates, but also they are 
beneficial for students to learn those very, very, important 
soft skills that I hear about, and I know you do as well when 
we talk to employers. They are really helpful programs.
    We discussed today how schools and administrators use 
career and technical education and programs and courses to 
expand work base learning, such as youth apprenticeship, the 
dual enrollment courses, which is important, and that is to 
help strengthen the support, but also leveraging industry 
recognized credentials.
    It is also important to emphasize that all students should 
have access to CTE courses. They should have this opportunity 
to explore careers and prepare for the next step after high 
school graduation because we know that these courses, through a 
career in technical education. Regardless, I know Mr. Williams 
asked a question about AI and technology, and CTE competing 
with STEM, which I say STEAM, or Mr. Thompson says with two 
A's.
    There are a lot of CTE programs that involve a lot of 
technology and a lot of STEM or STEAM, and those are all 
important, and important for students to have those choices. 
When we see students in a culinary program, yes, they are 
learning skills, but they are also learning science and 
nutrition, and so there is just a lot of benefit, regardless of 
what program it is.
    I also, I want to emphasize that we need to make sure that 
all of the students get this benefit, and students from all 
backgrounds should have access to programs that prepare them 
for life, for college, for a job, for a long-term sustainable 
career. That is not going to happen if we do not do this 
properly, if there is some outdated and, in some ways, 
inequitable practices that continue to funnel some students 
into more low wage jobs.
    I hope we can turn the page on that chapter and recognize 
that every student has tremendous potential and should have 
those options. I remain committed to working together, Mr. 
Chairman and Committee members on this to support CTE as a very 
important part of well-rounded education. I hope that we can 
update the funding as I mentioned, which over the past four 
decades has decreased.
    I certainly appreciate the foundations and the private 
industry, and everyone else who is helping, but that Perkins 
funding really makes a difference because we have a lot of 
schools and a lot of districts across the country, and with the 
value of this investment I hope this is something we can 
accomplish to update that funding to today.
    Thank you again, Mr. Chairman, thank you to our witnesses, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
    Chairman Bean. Thank you very much Ranking Member, well 
done, well said. I think we are definitely on the same team. 
Thank you everybody that helped put the hearing together. I 
want to give and recognize the Clay County School 
Superintendent, David Brosky, who sent Kelly, and Kelly, thank 
you for coming.
    Superintendent Brosky is in Tallahassee today at Clay 
County Day in the State of Florida. I want to wish your 
daughter the best and thank your daughter for letting you come. 
She is at an Ag competition in Clay County, so it is truly a 
big deal. To all our panelists, I did something that I probably 
should not have done. I bragged how good you guys were going to 
be. I said this all-star panel--it is among the best.
    Let me tell you what you did. You exceeded expectations 
today, each of you, and you will always get to tell everybody 
you testified before Congress. We are about to adjourn, but if 
you could stick around, I would love to take a picture of you 
guys before we leave. There being no further business to come 
before us unless I have to say something official. Do I have to 
say something official?
    Hopefully we can submit questions and let everybody know 
the record is open. Without objection, there being no further 
business, this Subcommittee stands adjourned.

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    [Whereupon, at 11:59 a.m, the committee was adjourned.]

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