so I’ll begin with a story about Ted upon graduating from high school Ted
upon graduating from high school Ted
upon graduating from high school Ted received a letter from our offices
received a letter from our offices
received a letter from our offices saying Ted did you know that you could
saying Ted did you know that you could
saying Ted did you know that you could go to college and you might even be able
go to college and you might even be able
go to college and you might even be able to go to college for free after reading
to go to college for free after reading
to go to college for free after reading the letter Ted and his grandmother came
the letter Ted and his grandmother came
the letter Ted and his grandmother came to our offices with equal parts
to our offices with equal parts
to our offices with equal parts frustration and excitement frustration
frustration and excitement frustration
frustration and excitement frustration because Wyatt’s had received this letter
because Wyatt’s had received this letter
because Wyatt’s had received this letter so late
so late
so late what can he do now that it was August
what can he do now that it was August
what can he do now that it was August excitement because maybe now Ted could
excitement because maybe now Ted could
excitement because maybe now Ted could go to college but the problem is bigger
go to college but the problem is bigger
go to college but the problem is bigger than just one student while the
than just one student while the
than just one student while the situation and the letter may be unique
situation and the letter may be unique
situation and the letter may be unique every year students graduate from high
every year students graduate from high
every year students graduate from high school uncertain of their options and
school uncertain of their options and
school uncertain of their options and how to pursue them and it’s even bigger
how to pursue them and it’s even bigger
how to pursue them and it’s even bigger than that here in Delaware we’re a small
than that here in Delaware we’re a small
than that here in Delaware we’re a small state with less than a million residents
state with less than a million residents
state with less than a million residents nestled on the east coast between
nestled on the east coast between
nestled on the east coast between Philadelphia and Baltimore 62 percent of
Philadelphia and Baltimore 62 percent of
Philadelphia and Baltimore 62 percent of our jobs require some form of
our jobs require some form of
our jobs require some form of post-secondary education that may mean
post-secondary education that may mean
post-secondary education that may mean an associate’s degree a certificate or
an associate’s degree a certificate or
an associate’s degree a certificate or bachelor’s degree
bachelor’s degree
bachelor’s degree many of our employers are importing
many of our employers are importing
many of our employers are importing talent from nearby states to meet the
talent from nearby states to meet the
talent from nearby states to meet the demand this leaves the scales uneven for
demand this leaves the scales uneven for
demand this leaves the scales uneven for students like Ted for our youth the
students like Ted for our youth the
students like Ted for our youth the problem is clear and let for youth to
problem is clear and let for youth to
problem is clear and let for youth to find career and financial success they
find career and financial success they
find career and financial success they need more education than a high school
need more education than a high school
need more education than a high school diploma and if we as a state are to
diploma and if we as a state are to
diploma and if we as a state are to remain competitive in a changing economy
remain competitive in a changing economy
remain competitive in a changing economy we need to organize ourselves around a
we need to organize ourselves around a
we need to organize ourselves around a broader youth employment agenda change
broader youth employment agenda change
broader youth employment agenda change happens with deliberation and intention
happens with deliberation and intention
happens with deliberation and intention collectively we can ensure that all
collectively we can ensure that all
collectively we can ensure that all youth are on the path to continuing
youth are on the path to continuing
youth are on the path to continuing education and financial well-being let’s
education and financial well-being let’s
education and financial well-being let’s talk about the economics in Delaware we
talk about the economics in Delaware we
talk about the economics in Delaware we will hire or replace 30% of our
will hire or replace 30% of our
will hire or replace 30% of our workforce by 2024 as talent exits our
workforce by 2024 as talent exits our
workforce by 2024 as talent exits our employment system it will create job
employment system it will create job
employment system it will create job opportunities across a variety of
opportunities across a variety of
opportunities across a variety of industries and various positions ranging
industries and various positions ranging
industries and various positions ranging from entry-level to
from entry-level to
from entry-level to and upper management individuals with
and upper management individuals with
and upper management individuals with the right skills will have career
the right skills will have career
the right skills will have career opportunities and we will evaluate those
opportunities and we will evaluate those
opportunities and we will evaluate those career opportunities based on two
career opportunities based on two
career opportunities based on two primary considerations the first is does
primary considerations the first is does
primary considerations the first is does that career afford us with the lifestyle
that career afford us with the lifestyle
that career afford us with the lifestyle we wish to lead are we able to support
we wish to lead are we able to support
we wish to lead are we able to support ourselves are we able to support our
ourselves are we able to support our
ourselves are we able to support our families and second do we enjoy the work
families and second do we enjoy the work
families and second do we enjoy the work do we find value in the work that we do
do we find value in the work that we do
do we find value in the work that we do day in and day out we’ll start with the
day in and day out we’ll start with the
day in and day out we’ll start with the economic consideration of a career
economic consideration of a career
economic consideration of a career decision the level of skill you possess
decision the level of skill you possess
decision the level of skill you possess directly correlates to your earning
directly correlates to your earning
directly correlates to your earning potential meaning the more skilled you
potential meaning the more skilled you
potential meaning the more skilled you are the more money that you will make in
are the more money that you will make in
are the more money that you will make in a job and over your lifetime to organize
a job and over your lifetime to organize
a job and over your lifetime to organize the relationship between education and
the relationship between education and
the relationship between education and earning potential we’ve grouped
earning potential we’ve grouped
earning potential we’ve grouped occupations into three general levels of
occupations into three general levels of
occupations into three general levels of skill the first are low-skilled jobs
skill the first are low-skilled jobs
skill the first are low-skilled jobs low-skilled jobs require a high school
low-skilled jobs require a high school
low-skilled jobs require a high school diploma and they pay an average wage of
diploma and they pay an average wage of
diploma and they pay an average wage of less than $24,000 per year middle
less than $24,000 per year middle
less than $24,000 per year middle skilled jobs require some type of
skilled jobs require some type of
skilled jobs require some type of education beyond a high school diploma
education beyond a high school diploma
education beyond a high school diploma as Shana mentioned that’s a certificate
as Shana mentioned that’s a certificate
as Shana mentioned that’s a certificate a credential apprenticeship or an
a credential apprenticeship or an
a credential apprenticeship or an associate degree middle skilled jobs
associate degree middle skilled jobs
associate degree middle skilled jobs provide an average wage of $45,000 per
provide an average wage of $45,000 per
provide an average wage of $45,000 per year and last our high skilled jobs
year and last our high skilled jobs
year and last our high skilled jobs high-skilled jobs require a bachelor’s
high-skilled jobs require a bachelor’s
high-skilled jobs require a bachelor’s degree or higher and provide an average
degree or higher and provide an average
degree or higher and provide an average wage of 88,000 dollars per year our
wage of 88,000 dollars per year our
wage of 88,000 dollars per year our investment in our youth needs to reflect
investment in our youth needs to reflect
investment in our youth needs to reflect high-growth industries and allow for
high-growth industries and allow for
high-growth industries and allow for youth to access middle and high skill
youth to access middle and high skill
youth to access middle and high skill occupations the return is twofold
occupations the return is twofold
occupations the return is twofold we need to ensure that all youth enter
we need to ensure that all youth enter
we need to ensure that all youth enter the workforce with the financial backing
the workforce with the financial backing
the workforce with the financial backing to support themselves and their family
to support themselves and their family
to support themselves and their family and the second as an investment in
and the second as an investment in
and the second as an investment in high-growth industries is great for the
high-growth industries is great for the
high-growth industries is great for the state’s economy so now that we know
state’s economy so now that we know
state’s economy so now that we know where to invest let’s talk about how we
where to invest let’s talk about how we
where to invest let’s talk about how we build individuals post-secondary
build individuals post-secondary
build individuals post-secondary identities Shana and I are actively
identities Shana and I are actively
identities Shana and I are actively scaling up a system of career
scaling up a system of career
scaling up a system of career ways that reflects our state’s economy
ways that reflects our state’s economy
ways that reflects our state’s economy and allows education to occur in high
and allows education to occur in high
and allows education to occur in high school so we are working with the
school so we are working with the
school so we are working with the Department of Labor with economic
Department of Labor with economic
Department of Labor with economic development to ensure that we are
development to ensure that we are
development to ensure that we are scaling career programs in all of our
scaling career programs in all of our
scaling career programs in all of our high schools that allow students to earn
high schools that allow students to earn
high schools that allow students to earn early college credit industry
early college credit industry
early college credit industry credentials and participate in
credentials and participate in
credentials and participate in meaningful work experiences it is
meaningful work experiences it is
meaningful work experiences it is through the combination of Education and
through the combination of Education and
through the combination of Education and experience that individuals will build
experience that individuals will build
experience that individuals will build their post-secondary identities and we
their post-secondary identities and we
their post-secondary identities and we are working across our collegiate system
are working across our collegiate system
are working across our collegiate system particularly our community college
particularly our community college
particularly our community college system to create a statewide workforce
system to create a statewide workforce
system to create a statewide workforce intermediary and this is an organization
intermediary and this is an organization
intermediary and this is an organization whose sole purpose is to help schools
whose sole purpose is to help schools
whose sole purpose is to help schools scale the number of related work
scale the number of related work
scale the number of related work experiences and help employers to
experiences and help employers to
experiences and help employers to onboard youth talent now along the way
onboard youth talent now along the way
onboard youth talent now along the way kids are going to need a little bit of
kids are going to need a little bit of
kids are going to need a little bit of help we are working as partners to
help we are working as partners to
help we are working as partners to create a system of supports across state
create a system of supports across state
create a system of supports across state agencies community organizations and our
agencies community organizations and our
agencies community organizations and our employers to ensure that every student
employers to ensure that every student
employers to ensure that every student has the helping hand that they need in
has the helping hand that they need in
has the helping hand that they need in order to find career and financial
order to find career and financial
order to find career and financial success and we are spending additional
success and we are spending additional
success and we are spending additional time on work with individuals who have
time on work with individuals who have
time on work with individuals who have more significant barriers to employment
more significant barriers to employment
more significant barriers to employment so that they can reach their full
so that they can reach their full
so that they can reach their full potential it is through education
potential it is through education
potential it is through education experience and support that we will help
experience and support that we will help
experience and support that we will help youth to continue their education and
youth to continue their education and
youth to continue their education and earn a well-paying job so of two-thirds
earn a well-paying job so of two-thirds
earn a well-paying job so of two-thirds of our occupations require students to
of our occupations require students to
of our occupations require students to demonstrate what they know through the
demonstrate what they know through the
demonstrate what they know through the attainment of a post-secondary
attainment of a post-secondary
attainment of a post-secondary credential we have to ask ourselves our
credential we have to ask ourselves our
credential we have to ask ourselves our students ready to attain those
students ready to attain those
students ready to attain those post-secondary credentials and the
post-secondary credentials and the
post-secondary credentials and the answer is mostly no 42 percent of the
answer is mostly no 42 percent of the
answer is mostly no 42 percent of the students who graduate from our high
students who graduate from our high
students who graduate from our high schools and enroll in college will
schools and enroll in college will
schools and enroll in college will require at least one remedial course a
require at least one remedial course a
require at least one remedial course a remedial course is asking students to
remedial course is asking students to
remedial course is asking students to revisit content that they should have
revisit content that they should have
revisit content that they should have learned in middle and high school for
learned in middle and high school for
learned in middle and high school for these students a high school diploma did
these students a high school diploma did
these students a high school diploma did not equal college or career readiness so
not equal college or career readiness so
not equal college or career readiness so to change this dynamic we came together
to change this dynamic we came together
to change this dynamic we came together as a collective with the intention that
as a collective with the intention that
as a collective with the intention that every student should graduate
every student should graduate
every student should graduate ready to pursue those post-secondary
ready to pursue those post-secondary
ready to pursue those post-secondary credentials and enter our labor market
credentials and enter our labor market
credentials and enter our labor market successfully and with deliberation to
successfully and with deliberation to
successfully and with deliberation to ensure that we were moving barriers for
ensure that we were moving barriers for
ensure that we were moving barriers for all students we did this in three ways
all students we did this in three ways
all students we did this in three ways first students need to know what does it
first students need to know what does it
first students need to know what does it mean to be ready for college serologist
mean to be ready for college serologist
mean to be ready for college serologist came together to set a common bar for
came together to set a common bar for
came together to set a common bar for students to understand what is college
students to understand what is college
students to understand what is college readiness students can do this through
readiness students can do this through
readiness students can do this through performance on their SAT success in a
performance on their SAT success in a
performance on their SAT success in a dual enrollment class or success on an
dual enrollment class or success on an
dual enrollment class or success on an advanced placement exam as a state we’re
advanced placement exam as a state we’re
advanced placement exam as a state we’re providing funding for all of our 11th
providing funding for all of our 11th
providing funding for all of our 11th graders to take the SAT for free during
graders to take the SAT for free during
graders to take the SAT for free during the school day our high schools are
the school day our high schools are
the school day our high schools are providing the funding for all of our
providing the funding for all of our
providing the funding for all of our 10th graders to take the PSAT during the
10th graders to take the PSAT during the
10th graders to take the PSAT during the school day for free back in students
school day for free back in students
school day for free back in students like Ted need structure to help them
like Ted need structure to help them
like Ted need structure to help them make that transition from high school to
make that transition from high school to
make that transition from high school to their post-secondary identity so our
their post-secondary identity so our
their post-secondary identity so our high schools are hosting events every
high schools are hosting events every
high schools are hosting events every year for all seniors to help them apply
year for all seniors to help them apply
year for all seniors to help them apply to college our colleges have waived the
to college our colleges have waived the
to college our colleges have waived the application fees necessary to get into
application fees necessary to get into
application fees necessary to get into their institutions and provide staff to
their institutions and provide staff to
their institutions and provide staff to support the events at our high schools
support the events at our high schools
support the events at our high schools as a state were training the volunteers
as a state were training the volunteers
as a state were training the volunteers we’re marketing and we’re collecting
we’re marketing and we’re collecting
we’re marketing and we’re collecting data on the success of these events so
data on the success of these events so
data on the success of these events so what are the results a hundred percent
what are the results a hundred percent
what are the results a hundred percent of the students who showed that
of the students who showed that
of the students who showed that readiness for college applied to college
readiness for college applied to college
readiness for college applied to college and fifty percent of our seniors
and fifty percent of our seniors
and fifty percent of our seniors completed a FAFSA application the
completed a FAFSA application the
completed a FAFSA application the application necessary to get money to
application necessary to get money to
application necessary to get money to pay for college it’s a huge success
pay for college it’s a huge success
pay for college it’s a huge success lastly we needed supports for students
lastly we needed supports for students
lastly we needed supports for students who were showing that they were likely
who were showing that they were likely
who were showing that they were likely to need remediation while still in high
to need remediation while still in high
to need remediation while still in high school so our colleges and high schools
school so our colleges and high schools
school so our colleges and high schools created math and English courses so they
created math and English courses so they
created math and English courses so they could strengthen their skills before
could strengthen their skills before
could strengthen their skills before they graduate our state’s p20 council
they graduate our state’s p20 council
they graduate our state’s p20 council which is made up of colleges businesses
which is made up of colleges businesses
which is made up of colleges businesses state agencies and our k12 system
state agencies and our k12 system
state agencies and our k12 system created a strategic plan to reduce
created a strategic plan to reduce
created a strategic plan to reduce remediation across the state and our
remediation across the state and our
remediation across the state and our state provides an annual report to
state provides an annual report to
state provides an annual report to report on the progress of reducing
report on the progress of reducing
report on the progress of reducing remediation and identify the root causes
remediation and identify the root causes
remediation and identify the root causes all of these structures
all of these structures
all of these structures helped even the scales for students like
helped even the scales for students like
helped even the scales for students like Ted and ensure that every student can
Ted and ensure that every student can
Ted and ensure that every student can graduate ready for college and ready to
graduate ready for college and ready to
graduate ready for college and ready to enter the labor market so we began with
enter the labor market so we began with
enter the labor market so we began with a story and we will end with a story the
a story and we will end with a story the
a story and we will end with a story the young lady who’s pictured is Beatrice
young lady who’s pictured is Beatrice
young lady who’s pictured is Beatrice Ramirez Beatrice is a 2017 graduate of
Ramirez Beatrice is a 2017 graduate of
Ramirez Beatrice is a 2017 graduate of William Penn High School she immigrated
William Penn High School she immigrated
William Penn High School she immigrated to the United States and seventh grade
to the United States and seventh grade
to the United States and seventh grade not speaking English when she enrolled
not speaking English when she enrolled
not speaking English when she enrolled in school she felt isolated and often
in school she felt isolated and often
in school she felt isolated and often disconnected from her peers that is
disconnected from her peers that is
disconnected from her peers that is until she found the culinary and
until she found the culinary and
until she found the culinary and hospitality management pathway at
hospitality management pathway at
hospitality management pathway at William Penn High School it is in the
William Penn High School it is in the
William Penn High School it is in the kitchen
kitchen
kitchen that Beatrice found her calling she
that Beatrice found her calling she
that Beatrice found her calling she parlayed her education into work
parlayed her education into work
parlayed her education into work experience with to Delaware employers
experience with to Delaware employers
experience with to Delaware employers one under an executive chef and second
one under an executive chef and second
one under an executive chef and second in a managerial capacity
in a managerial capacity
in a managerial capacity Beatrice graduated this last spring
Beatrice graduated this last spring
Beatrice graduated this last spring having earned early college credit
having earned early college credit
having earned early college credit industry credentials and relevant work
industry credentials and relevant work
industry credentials and relevant work experience
experience
experience she is currently enrolled at the
she is currently enrolled at the
she is currently enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America where
Culinary Institute of America where
Culinary Institute of America where she’s pursuing a Bachelor of Arts she
she’s pursuing a Bachelor of Arts she
she’s pursuing a Bachelor of Arts she receives more than $30,000 per year in
receives more than $30,000 per year in
receives more than $30,000 per year in scholarships that she herself earned
scholarships that she herself earned
scholarships that she herself earned now both Ted and Beatrice have unlimited
now both Ted and Beatrice have unlimited
now both Ted and Beatrice have unlimited potential the difference in these two
potential the difference in these two
potential the difference in these two stories is the network of supports these
stories is the network of supports these
stories is the network of supports these individuals had to facilitate life
individuals had to facilitate life
individuals had to facilitate life beyond high school collectively we can
beyond high school collectively we can
beyond high school collectively we can work together to ensure that all
work together to ensure that all
work together to ensure that all students are on a path to career and
students are on a path to career and
students are on a path to career and financial success that is unless that is
financial success that is unless that is
financial success that is unless that is if we are able to work together as
if we are able to work together as
if we are able to work together as Pierce it through deliberation and with
Pierce it through deliberation and with
Pierce it through deliberation and with clear intention
”
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