Career and Technical Education Month

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, leaders from business and industry, both in Alaskan and across the nation, report increasing challenges related to the skills gap and connecting qualified professionals with available careers in critical and growing CTE-related fields including healthcare, energy, natural resource development, and information technology; and

WHEREAS, Career and Technical Education prepares students for these and other fulfilling careers by offering integrated programs of study that link secondary and postsecondary education and lead to the attainment of industry-recognized credentials; and

WHEREAS, the Alaska Departments of Education & Early Development and 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 Alaskan economic growth and global competitiveness.

NOW THEREFORE, I, Bill Walker, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF ALASKA, do hereby proclaim February 2016 as:

Career and Technical Education Month

in Alaska, and encourage all Alaskans to become familiar with the services and benefits offered by the career and technical education programs in this community and to support and participate in these programs to enhance their individual skills and productivity.

Click here for a PDF copy of the proclamation.

Source: Alaska Governor Bill Walker