Next Generation Workforce Development

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“Creating and Training Workforce for the Present and Future”

Through the KVEC Workforce Development Alliance, school districts in the KY Valley Educational Cooperative (KVEC), and other partners are committed to building a strong base of business, industry, and community support that can help provide career development opportunities for their students.

These partnerships allow students to go beyond the classroom and into the community to consider different career fields, learn basic workplace behavior, and develop specific skills within an industry. Through workforce development opportunities, students can apply what they are learning in the classroom as they prepare to transition into the workforce and/or post-secondary education and training.

Planners and decision makers need to understand that workforce training and preparing workers for high wage digital jobs does not just occur after high school, but, is possible in K-12 schools. The future workforce which will build the new economy are in K-12 classrooms now.

The alliance supports an innovative Workforce Development model that does not just train for existing jobs, but, provides skills for anticipated new jobs. Thus, entrepreneurism will be promoted empowering the Next Generation worker.

Nineteen school districts in the 14 counties of the KVEC service area are providing both workforce development in schools and providing a pipeline for students to higher educational and advanced workface training. The Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative (KVEC) launched in August the Appalachian Technology Institute in which over 400 students are taking computer science classes and over 70 students are enrolled in an aviation curriculum. Plans for this innovative model will be replicated throughout the region.

A priority is being placed on offering the training and skills for the New Economy jobs so students can be globally competitive while remaining in the region. However, career exploration and counseling will be offered for other job possibilities.

These students can participate in the global economy now. They are proving this in our schools today. Students in various age levels are publishing books and creating high quality art, apps for various devices, web pages, coding, video games, social media marketing, etc. Entrepreneurial training and competitions are key elements in the K-12 workforce training.

In addition to providing the hard skills, the Alliance and schools are providing the soft skills needed by employers. These skills include: attendance/punctuality, communication, teamwork, leadership, making decisions, showing commitment, flexibility, time management, accepting responsibility, and critical and creative thinking.

KVEC is creating partnerships with higher education, workforce boards, businesses, communities and organizations through the KVEC Workforce Development Alliance. The K-20 Alliance begins in elementary grades and does not wait for high school for true workforce pipeline training. The Alliance has enhanced dual credit programs leading to career certifications and job credentials. The Alliance has developed curriculums as well as its own certifications also. KVEC seeks additional partners who see the potential for assisting students, mentoring, or hiring students.

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