This piece clearly establishes education as a top priority for business leaders and regional civic/economic development organizations in the Capital Region and firmly positions appropriate support for public education, combined with policy reforms that promote entrepreneurism and business formation, as a critical component for regional economic prosperity.

The December 9 Convergence event focused on higher education and featured Chancellor Linda Katehi of UC Davis, President Alexander Gonzalez of Sacramento State University and Chancellor Brice Harris of the Los Rios Community College District.  Read the article

(L-R) Moderator Martha Clark Lofgren, left, interim president and CEO of the Sacramento Metro Chamber, UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi, Sacramento State President Alexander Gonzalez and Los Rios Community College District Chancellor Brice Harris participate in a panel discussion at Convergence VIII. Photo courtesy of Steve McKay for Office of Public Affairs, Sacramento State

Over 300 participants attended the final Convergence program of 2011 on December 9th, which focused on the region’s higher education sector.

Higher education in the Capital Region, comprised over a dozen public and private colleges and universities, is a powerful industry sector in and of itself, in addition to its core role of producing intellectual and human capital in the form of research, and a talent pool of educated and highly skilled people.

While offering degree programs that provide graduates the education and skills they need for careers in the region’s highest demand fields—healthcare, engineering, clean energy technology, business/entrepreneurism, education, biotechnology—higher education leaders continue to struggle with the adverse impacts of the state’s chronic budget crisis to curriculum, programs and operational budgets.

Convergence provided a powerful platform for three of the region’s higher education leaders: UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi, Sacramento State President Alex Gonzalez, and Los Rios Community College District Chancellor Brice Harris.  The three were asked to discuss how their institutions were poised to advance the region’s economic future and discuss what civic and business leaders in the Capital Region can do to support their efforts.  Read about the panel discussion in the full Convergence Report

And for the 150 exhibitors who welcomed them, Career GPS offered an equally valuable opportunity: a chance to give a friendly heads up to future employees on what skills match which paychecks, and how students can best prepare right now, not after, high school graduation.

Career GPS, hosted by LEED – Linking Education and Economic Development, broke new ground by its sheer size and took the traditional career fair in a completely new direction.  Instead of introducing one school, or a single class, to individual career possibilities over time, Career GPS brought together 11 industry sectors, all at once, then invited schools throughout the Sacramento region to bring high school juniors to meet one-on-one with employers, colleges and training providers.

Read the CareerGPS 2011 Event Impact Report

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Recently, Next Economy was launched in August by LEED’s partner organizations, The Metro Chamber, SACTO, SARTA and Valley Vision, and is intended to develop a regional economic development strategy, leveraging economic clusters in which the Capital region has a competitive advantage and are most likely to create additional economic activity, wealth and jobs.

Working as the Capital Area P-20 Council, LEED is well positioned to leverage its work and the work of its partners to “fuel” the Next Economy by doing what LEED does best:  “aligning education to advance regional economic objectives.”  Many in attendance at a Next Economy Forum in west Sacramento November 15 noted that effective K-12 and post secondary education, workforce skills, innovation and entrepreneurism were all identified as critical elements of a quality education system necessary for a high performing regional economy.

“This is an ideal time for LEED to be developing and implementing its 2012-14 strategic plan,” said Butler.  “Through our ability to establish region-wide goals for high school graduation, post-secondary enrollment and degree completion, align them with the outcomes of Next Economy and benchmark them against other regions in California and the nation, we will play a key role in re-positioning the Capital Region with a distinct competitive advantage,” he continued.

Additional Next Economy Forums are scheduled for February 17 and May 4.  LEED is planning to showcase preliminary outcomes from Next Economy at its May 11, 2012 Convergence event.

For additional information, visit Valley Vision’s website at www.valleyvision.org

Related materials: November 15, 2011 Next Economy Presentation

Laura Munoz, a junior at Highlands High School in the Twin Rivers Unified School District, appears with LEED CEO David Butler, after receiving an i-pad she won as a result of her “passport” being selected during a drawing at CareerGPS.

Laura Munoz, a junior at Highlands High School in the Twin Rivers Unified School District, appears with LEED CEO David Butler, after receiving an iPad she won as a result of her “passport” being selected during a drawing at CareerGPS, a career exploration event hosted by LEED in October at Cal Expo.  Butler presented Munoz with the prize during a meeting of the Twin Rivers USD board of trustees.  During her comments to the board, Munoz noted, “CareerGPS was a great experience.  It opened my eyes to a bunch of careers I didn’t even know existed.  I would definitely recommend  all students attend CareerGPS if possible.”

At Highlands, Munoz is a member of ASB, the Latino Club and MESA and hopes to attend UC Davis to pursue a career in human development.

Over 6,000 students from 61 schools in 14 districts from throughout the Capital Region attended CareerGPS, interacting with over 150 employer and post secondary exhibitors.  CareerGPS was presented by the Associated General Contractors of California Education Foundation with grant support from the colleges of the Los Rios Community College District:  American River, Cosumnes River, Folsom Lake and Sacramento City.  The iPads were purchased thanks to a sponsorship from McDonald’s.  For details from the October 13-14 CareerGPS event, click here.

More than 6,000 teenagers from throughout the Capital Region filled CalExpo’s Expo Center on October 13-14, 2011 to explore a full spectrum of career, training and post-secondary education options while placing their current high school studies within context of post-high school reality — and promise.

And for the 150 employers who welcomed them, Career GPS offered an equally valuable opportunity: a chance to give a friendly heads up to future employees on what skills match which paychecks, and how students can best prepare right now, not after, high school graduation.

Career GPS, hosted by LEED – Linking Education and Economic Development, broke new ground by its sheer size and took the traditional job fair in a completely new direction.  Instead of introducing one school, or a single class, to individual career possibilities over time, Career GPS brought together 11 industry sectors, all at once, then invited schools throughout the Sacramento region to bring high school juniors to meet one-on-one with employers, colleges and training providers.

“The timing was essential,” said Dave Butler, chief executive officer of LEED. “Most students who drop out of high school do so because they don’t clearly understand how their education will benefit them after graduation,” he said.   “By placing their high school careers within the context of a future workplace environment, CareerGPS helps make  students’ current education  much more meaningful and helps them better understand the need for a post secondary degree or certificate, to ensure their success in the workplace,” Butler continued.

“We wanted to reach out before students’ senior year, when they’re still considering multiple options. Career GPS effectively put into context what they’re learning now, and what they’ll need to learn to enter a particular profession,” Butler said. “Meeting actual employers face to face made it real, and exciting.”

Career GPS also opened horizons for students who may not plan to attend  a four-year college. Technical careers in construction, health care and technology were represented alongside career choices in medicine, technology, law and business that require four year degrees and beyond.

More than an event, Career GPS also has an ongoing, interactive, online presence through www.careergps.com, where young people can explore a variety of high demand trades and professions and get a clear idea of what skills, training and education they need to pursue their preferred career or occupation.

Eleven industry clusters, represented by over 150 exhibitors included:
· Energy, Environment & Innovation

· Healthcare & Biosciences

· Finance, Business & Public Service

· Construction, Architecture & Engineering.

Another innovative twist at Career GPS involved passports, but instead of allowing access into a country, these guides walked students through what to ask employers. This, organizers said, encouraged students to think about what kind of lifestyle they want, and how a particular job can help them achieve personal goals.

Career GPS included Good Day Sacramento on air personality Mark S. Allen as the featured speaker during an engaging, interactive assembly held before students visit the exhibits. Students also participated in workshops while exploring employer exhibits, divided by industry clusters in four Cal Expo buildings.

“The sooner we can expose young people to the realities of the workplace, the more time they will have to plan, prepare and succeed,” Butler said. “Career GPS applies this strategy on a much larger scale than in the past, and serves as a high quality, high impact platform for  our public education partners to help students “navigate their future.”

CareerGPS was presented by the Associated General Contractors of California-Construction Education Foundation, in partnership with the colleges of the Los Rios Community College District (American River, Cosumnes River, Folsom Lake and Sacramento City), the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency and is sponsored by Sutter Health, Bank of America, SMUD, Sacramento County Office of Education, AT&T and others.

Schools, employers and organizations interested in participating in the 2012 CareerGPS Event are encouraged to contact LEED CEO David Butler at (916) 552-6800 x105 or dbutler@leed.org.  More information about the CareerGPS event can be found at www.leed.org/programs/CareerGPS or “like” the CareerGPS Event page on Facebook.

View pictures of the event

America’s schools are not preparing students for the world of modern work, and certainly not for the world of tomorrow’s work.

“You hear that over and over,” said David Butler. “But many districts in the Sacramento region have implemented effective career academy and project-based programs that blend rigorous academics with relevant applied learning. We plan to support and expand this critical work.” Read More