WHEREAS, career and technical education (CTE) offers students the opportunity to gain the academic, technical, and employability skills necessary for true career readiness; and
WHEREAS, career and technical education provides students with career exploration opportunities and authentic, meaningful experiences earlier in their educational experience, which enables them to make informed and beneficial decisions about their academic coursework as well as pursuit of established programs of study and career pathways; and
WHEREAS, leaders from both state and nation-wide businesses and industry report increasing challenges related to the skills gap and connecting qualified professionals with available careers in critical and growing CTE-related fields, including healthcare, education, energy, natural resources, information technology, and STEM; and
WHEREAS, CTE prepares students for fulfilling careers by offering integrated programs of study that link secondary and postsecondary education, often leading to dual credit and the attainment of industry-recognized credentials; and
WHEREAS, the Alaska Departments of Education and Early Development, Labor and Workforce Development, and the University of Alaska system are jointly implementing the statewide CTE plan to ensure a comprehensive, integrated career and technical education system for Alaska; and
WHEREAS, ensuring that Alaskan employers have access to a qualified workforce is a crucial step in ensuring productivity among the business and industry communities as well as continued economic growth and global competitiveness.
NOW THEREFORE, I, Michael J. Dunleavy, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF ALASKA, do hereby proclaim February 2019 as:
Career and Technical Education Month
in Alaska, and urge all citizens to become familiar with the services and benefits offered by the CTE programs in Alaska, and support and participate in these programs.
