Numbers tell a story, but rarely without help.
SkillsUSA and the Northern Illinois University P-20 Research and Data Collaborative are promoting a new study on the effort to increase “work-based learning opportunities” such as vocational (or career and technical) education and apprenticeships.
The rest of the column could be lists of data points: more than 21,000 registered apprenticeships; 75% of those in construction fields; 28% increase in new apprentices from 2019 to 2024; only 14% of new apprentices in 2024 were female… The full report is available at tinyurl.com/SkillsUSAstudy, and a great Capitol News Illinois overview is at tinyurl.com/SkillsUSAsummary.
An important top-line detail is the relevance of the July 2018 Perkins Act, a federal law intended to bolster career and technical education nationwide that included funding to help states implement such programs. That came two years after Illinois’ Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act. When it came time to apply for federal Perkins funding, the state Board of Education and the Community College Board aligned the two in hopes of eliminating conflicts and making sure all requests were satisfied.
That said, the U.S. Department of Education is tasked with approving Perkins funding, and given present uncertainty around that agency, heavy reliance on continued revenue streams would seem ill-advised.
Still, the report is well-timed as Springfield considers many changes aimed at meeting the state’s workforce needs. This includes (currently stalled) legislation to allow community colleges to offer four-year degrees, substantial capital needs at public universities balanced against sweeping budget cuts at some of those same schools and more narrowly focused ideas, like House Bill 3039, which makes it easier for seventh and eighth graders to earn high school credit.
And for all those efforts, actual opportunities often come down to individual conversations among students, families and academic advisers.
Consider CNI’s quotes from sophomores at Argo Community High School (near Midway Airport). Luciana Deir wanted to take construction classes and said a counselor asked, “Are you sure you’d be interested in that?”
Angelica Turza, pursuing graphic design and advertising, said, “Students are discouraged to take certain CTE classes – especially female [students] – in things like cars and autos … things that are seen as more masculine.”
What is your local high school doing to promote career education? Are counselors focused on funneling graduates to four-year colleges? Do opportunities at the nearest vocational center align naturally with academic requirements and daily schedules? Are there partnerships with local businesses to foster a working/learning hybrid benefitting students and employers?
There are success stories throughout Illinois, while the newest data confirms abundant room for improvement. Especially as federal fickleness foments, the time is right for the state to ensure all students have reliable options close to home.
• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Local News Network. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.
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