House Education Committee unveils career and technical education package

Rep. Curt Sonney (R-Erie), chair of the House Education Committee, led a press conference in Harrisburg this week to reveal a bipartisan package of eight bills that aim to improve career and technical education (CTE) in Pennsylvania.

“Workforce development is one of the cornerstones of the Legislature’s plan to improve Pennsylvania’s economy and create better opportunities for those entering and currently in the workforce,” Sonney said. “At the end of the day we all want jobs we can be proud of and that can support our families. The opportunities for those types of careers are available all across Pennsylvania. We just need to make sure individuals have the training and skills needed to fill those jobs. That’s what this package of legislation aims to help accomplish.”

The bills are the result of a report issued by the former Select Subcommittee on Technical Education and Career Readiness, Sonney said.

The bills would create an online career resource center, create an inventory of workforce development programs offered at secondary and post-secondary institutions, create a CTE investment incentive program for businesses and add at least one administrator from a career and technical center to each Workforce Development Board, among other things.

“As the new chairman of the House Education Committee, I am hopeful that with the bipartisan support we have on this issue, we can act quickly on these bills and get them to the full House for consideration in the near future,” Sonney said. “Education is one of the most important elements in advancing workforce development in the Commonwealth, and I am happy to be a part of the progress we are making on this issue.”

Each of the bills will go before the House Education Committee for consideration.