Gov. Jay Inslee today announced the launch of a new Career Connect Washington initiative aimed at helping significantly more students pursue good-paying jobs after high school through career-ready education such as registered apprenticeships and technical training programs.
The goal? Connect 100,000 students during the next five years with career-connected learning opportunities that prepare them for high-demand, high-wage jobs. This will build on the governor’s existing Vision 2021 goal of 70 percent of students achieving a postsecondary credential.
Originally planned as an event for a few hundred participants, the Governor’s Summit on Career Connected Learning attracted more than 1,200 participants from 27 sites around the state. The effort is generating more interest than anyone had anticipated, and Inslee is hoping that enthusiasm translates into tremendous job training opportunities for Washington’s students.
“We have to stop telling our kids that a four-year degree is the only path to success. Most of them will require education and training after high school, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a four-year college degree,” Inslee said.
“Through registered apprenticeships, technical training programs and other career-connected learning opportunities, we’ll gives students all kinds of ways to fulfill their dreams of helping build airplanes, cure diseases or design innovative new software.”
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