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00:03 - the views of PCN.

00:27 - Welcome to the Keystone Education Report, where Pennsylvania's education

00:31 - leaders come together to address the key issues shaping our schools.

00:35 - In this episode, we're going to explore Pennsylvania's career pipeline,

00:39 - and our guests will share insights on how to support students

00:42 - as they prepare for life after graduation.

00:45 - We're going to begin our conversation

00:47 - with Representatives Justin Fleming and Representatives Chad Reichert.

00:51 - Representative Fleming was elected in November of 2022 to represent the 105th

00:55 - Legislative District, and Representative Reichert serves the 90th

00:59 - Legislative District in Pennsylvania's House of Representatives.

01:02 - Gentlemen, thank you both for joining us. Thank you. Nathan.

01:05 - Let's talk about the career pipeline.

01:07 - Let me start by asking each of you

01:08 - about your districts and the employers that you have

01:12 - and what their needs are, because I think that drives a lot of what we talk about

01:15 - in terms of of what they're looking for in the pipeline.

01:18 - Yeah.

01:18 - So, down in the 90th in southern Franklin County, we have a lot of manufacturing.

01:23 - So welders, I mean, it seems like a lot of our

01:25 - manufacturers are just training welders amongst each other.

01:29 - And, you know, as we see with a lot of these, these career

01:31 - jobs, these these technical jobs, we have folks that are retiring, right?

01:35 - They're aging out and we don't have the workforce,

01:38 - you know, graduating with the skills needed to replace them.

01:41 - So, I mean, we you know, we but beyond that, I mean, we need, you

01:44 - know, plumbers, we need electrician, we we need carpenters, we need nurses.

01:47 - I mean, there's there's a whole host

01:49 - of these skilled labor positions and there's help wanted signs.

01:52 - I mean, if you have the certifications

01:54 - and you can, you can pretty much name your price whenever you walk in there.

01:58 - And these are good family sustaining jobs.

02:00 - So absolute need down in the 90th.

02:03 - How about your district? Yeah. In our district.

02:05 - Well the government's the largest employer.

02:07 - We are just in the shadow of the Capitol building.

02:09 - So my my district office is about 15 minutes away.

02:12 - And so a lot of government, but a lot of health care as well.

02:15 - You see a lot of urgent cares popping up.

02:18 - Specialty clinics, phlebotomy, things, places

02:21 - where you can go to get a blood test or labs drawn and things like that.

02:25 - So it's a really diverse array of business interests.

02:28 - We do have some manufacturing, but,

02:30 - a lot of it is, is office work mostly, nonprofit, the nonprofit sector.

02:34 - But I'd say, you know, for for us, the government is the largest employer.

02:38 - But, still, as part of that, like, you know, we are blessed to have

02:42 - the Dauphin County Technical School, in my district.

02:45 - And it is, it has been a game changer

02:49 - for a bunch of students who have, taken advantage of it.

02:53 - And I think the, you know, we were talking off the air before we started.

02:57 - I mean, the message

02:58 - that you have to go to college in order to be successful is gone.

03:03 - And and quite frankly, over the 25, 30 years that that was the mantra.

03:08 - And by the way, everyone was in on it.

03:09 - It was parents, it was teachers.

03:11 - It was administrators.

03:12 - Everyone saying,

03:13 - oh, you have to get a four year degree, otherwise you won't be employable.

03:17 - That was a fiction.

03:18 - And so I'm glad we're finally seeing now that career

03:21 - and technical education is really critical to be able to build a future in life.

03:26 - And so, we just need to make the needed investments to allow our CTCs to thrive.

03:31 - So I hear both of you saying the demand is there, the needs are there,

03:33 - maybe a little different make up in, in your communities.

03:36 - But when you think about the broader statewide pipeline

03:39 - for, for these kinds of jobs, how is it today statewide?

03:43 - And if we're coming up short, what can we do to get more students

03:47 - to make these choices?

03:48 - Yeah, I mean, I I've taught a couple career and technical schools,

03:52 - you know, just in the short time that I've,

03:54 - I've been in office, you know, this past year.

03:56 - And the consistent theme that I hear from every single one of them is

03:59 - they have a waitlist. That's right.

04:00 - There are students, there are, you know,

04:02 - young men and women who want these spots, that want these seats in these schools.

04:06 - And there just isn't enough and there aren't enough instructors,

04:09 - aren't enough seats, there aren't enough resources to go around

04:12 - to get them in there.

04:13 - And and it's and it's a tragedy really on our part that we have

04:17 - we have the interest. We have the demand.

04:19 - You know, we just don't have the ability to get them through.

04:22 - And again,

04:23 - start to fill these, these positions as we see more and more people retire.

04:26 - So a capacity issue

04:29 - Chad's exactly right.

04:30 - And I'll just say on the on the policy side, you know, I toured

04:34 - I've toured about 5 or 6, career and tech centers throughout the state,

04:37 - not only here in my district, but Bucks County, Center County, and work

04:42 - I did before as an advocate.

04:44 - It, Pennsylvania partnerships for children and, you know,

04:49 - Chad's exactly right.

04:50 - We do have capacity issues.

04:51 - One thing the state could do better is just funnel more funding to those

04:55 - career and technical centers so they can, so they can accept more students.

04:59 - That's part of the issue as well.

05:01 - I mean, every time we try to infuse funding into career

05:04 - and technical education, we have to change a formula.

05:07 - And so and that has to be as hard as it is

05:10 - to pass legislation that has to be changed each and every single time.

05:14 - Now, I do think the Commonwealth has done a good job on equipment grants.

05:17 - So those are the two main funding lines, the main funding line for career

05:21 - tech centers and then and equipment Grant line,

05:23 - which allows the career and technical centers

05:25 - to purchase the latest and greatest equipment that say,

05:28 - if you're studying dental hygiene or if you're going into masonry

05:31 - or landscaping or automotive, any number of the, great programs

05:35 - that they offer, you know, they can, purchase new equipment

05:39 - and learn on the best equipment or a lot of times,

05:42 - manufacturers will donate, you know,

05:45 - equipment that's still able to be used so they can learn on it.

05:48 - And that's such a huge advantage to come out of school.

05:51 - Having learned on the equipment it's being used now.

05:54 - Right.

05:55 - Both of you represent kind of

05:57 - I'll southern part of Pennsylvania's districts

06:01 - and you know are the needs a little different

06:03 - as we get up maybe into the northern tier farther east, farther west.

06:07 - Is there an issue around making sure that the the capacity

06:10 - is easily, as easily available in the rural part of the state

06:14 - as I'm going to call your district more suburban,

06:16 - maybe you're definitely suburban, almost urban,

06:19 - you know, but do we need to worry about do we address somehow this, this capacity

06:23 - issue more broadly and make sure that students

06:25 - anywhere in Pennsylvania have access? Yeah.

06:27 - And I think, you know, we have, some colleagues that have population

06:30 - districts that have populations declining, but there's still a need.

06:33 - I mean, there's still a need for carpenters, still a need for electricians.

06:36 - You know, a lot of I was, up in the northwestern part of PA

06:41 - a couple of weeks ago, and, you know, a lot of oil and gas production up that way.

06:45 - I mean, they they need people to be able to service the machinery.

06:47 - They need diesel mechanics, they need skilled labor positions.

06:51 - And those guys are crying for people to I mean, you know, every single

06:55 - skilled labor industry or every facet of the industry

06:59 - of our economy is screaming for these skilled labor people.

07:02 - Yeah. And I'll say it is it does

07:05 - require coordination on a number of different fronts.

07:09 - You know, I'm, I'm tied in with the Central Pennsylvania building

07:11 - and construction trades who certainly have a role to play in this area.

07:16 - I think the Department of Labor

07:17 - and Industry has done a nice job with their workforce investment boards to,

07:21 - identify high priority occupations on a regional basis.

07:24 - Right?

07:25 - Because as you pointed out, Nathan, we do have vast differences

07:29 - depending on where you go northeast versus northwest, southeast, etc..

07:34 - You know, there are

07:35 - the jobs that are in demand are,

07:38 - you know, are vast because,

07:41 - you know, down here, as you mentioned, we don't we don't need oil and gas.

07:45 - Jobs are very many of them here.

07:46 - Whereas in the northern tier you need that.

07:49 - You need those oil and gas positions.

07:51 - You know, Venango County's, the Oil City, right, right

07:55 - where our, our, resource production started.

07:58 - So, so I think there's been a decent effort there,

08:03 - but we could always improve it.

08:05 - And I think, you know,

08:06 - I know we're talking about career and technical education, but I don't want to,

08:10 - you know, you can if you still want a four year educational pathway,

08:14 - you can do that too.

08:15 - So it's not like

08:16 - it doesn't have to be this either or proposition,

08:19 - where you go to a career and tech center and you don't go to college.

08:21 - I have I have, great family friends who, you know, both of their oldest children

08:26 - just graduated from Dauphin County Technical School.

08:28 - They're both pursuing higher education, one at temple, one not one at IUP.

08:32 - So it's not an either or proposition.

08:34 - You can still chart your path, but, you know, allowing you

08:38 - to get those certifications, like Chad said, and go right into the workforce.

08:41 - That's incredible.

08:42 - And then,

08:42 - you know, you you ply your trade and then maybe you can start your own business.

08:45 - So I just love the the options that career and tech centers

08:50 - give our students well, to to your point, Justin, I was talking with,

08:53 - a gentleman who works in a, I mean, he's a machinist

08:56 - in a fabricating company, and his son was going to college.

08:59 - His son was going to be an English major, but he apprenticed with dad.

09:03 - So he was he was a certified machinist.

09:06 - Right.

09:06 - So, you know, in the summers

09:08 - he was going in, working in the shop, making more money than, than anybody else.

09:12 - And, you know, and if you know the English,

09:14 - if the English route didn't work out for him, he had a backup as a machinist.

09:17 - I mean, it's that sort of either.

09:19 - It's not it's not it can't it doesn't have to be an either or.

09:22 - It can be a both.

09:23 - And they can complement each other

09:24 - and you have a much more well-rounded individual.

09:26 - I mean, I'd love to better my carpentry skills.

09:29 - I mean, it's it's pretty shameful right now.

09:32 - But you know, so the thing of it is, is that you you can do both

09:35 - and and to your point, I mean, yes, you can pursue a four year degree,

09:38 - but there's always that,

09:39 - that opportunity to have that back up or you know, it's a primary degree.

09:43 - So if I hear you both, we're talking you know, it's a capacity issue, right?

09:47 - The system maybe doesn't have enough room quite yet for everybody that wants it.

09:50 - I think to your point, it's a bit of a funding issue.

09:52 - And then it sounds like it's a coordination issue.

09:54 - You're talking about the the need to find these multiple pathways

09:58 - to get people there.

09:59 - I want to touch on maybe a fourth area.

10:01 - We're talking a lot about students that are getting ready to enter either

10:05 - the workforce or continue their education and and fill these needs.

10:08 - What about the ones that have already graduated either from a four year program?

10:11 - They've gone through a great technical program.

10:13 - They're out there and they're thinking about leaving the state.

10:16 - You know, are we still in a position in Pennsylvania where we're hemorrhaging

10:20 - the talent that we need?

10:21 - And is that part of the problem with I'll, I'll pick on employers

10:24 - in your area for that welder. Is it you know what?

10:27 - We're not providing enough for two.

10:28 - Are we losing welders to other states and what can we do as a commonwealth

10:33 - at the state level to try and, you know, cut off that flow of talent exiting?

10:37 - Yeah. Well, I know,

10:40 - obviously, you know, as you know, when you're 18,

10:42 - you don't know what you want to be when you grow up.

10:44 - I mean, I don't know what I want to be when I grow up, right?

10:46 - But, you know, we we look around at folks that that might have,

10:49 - you know, not have gone to college or might have not,

10:52 - you know, gotten those technical degrees when they were 18.

10:55 - But, you know, here they are, they're, you know, in their 20s and 30s

10:57 - and they have a family, they have rent, they have a mortgage.

10:59 - I mean, they can't take a break from having an income, right?

11:02 - I mean, they need that steady stream coming in.

11:05 - And one of the ideas that I've been kicked, the kicking around

11:08 - was, paid apprenticeships for these folks that, you know,

11:11 - while they're getting these certifications to fill these roles that we need,

11:15 - they might be able to have some sort of a, a stipend or something like that

11:18 - from the employer who would who would hire them.

11:20 - But but to your point, I mean, you know, we we focus a lot on, you know, the

11:25 - the kids in middle school and high school who are going through these programs.

11:27 - But there's there's absolutely a lot of folks that are looking for

11:30 - maybe a second or third career opportunity.

11:33 - And, and I think our career and technical education schools are,

11:36 - you know, at a perfect point to be able to if they have capacity

11:40 - to bring them in as well.

11:42 - So, yeah, I mean,

11:43 - so someone told me once that, you know, education doesn't stop at high school

11:46 - or college.

11:47 - I mean, if you're a lifelong learner, there's always opportunity.

11:49 - And for folks that might be wanting to explore a different route,

11:53 - I think we should try to help them out as much as possible.

11:56 - Yeah.

11:56 - I mean, we've been talking about brain drain here since the 1990s, right?

12:01 - Since the Reg administration.

12:02 - And unfortunately, we haven't put the steps in place.

12:04 - I mean, there are things we could do,

12:06 - particularly for those, you know, seeking a four year degree.

12:10 - The Pennsylvania promise is a great idea.

12:12 - Sponsored by, Representative Harris and Representative Davidson

12:16 - in the House and Senator Hughes in the Senate,

12:18 - you know, providing stipends to students, more funding

12:23 - so they can afford college and then stay here afterward.

12:26 - But I have to say it, it goes to market issues as well.

12:29 - Every one of our neighboring states,

12:31 - including West Virginia, has a higher minimum wage.

12:33 - So you look at an issue like that, and just because of that fact,

12:37 - the market's going to bear more.

12:38 - There are going to be higher wages in these other states.

12:40 - And, you know,

12:41 - we can see through the census that unfortunately Pennsylvania's growing,

12:44 - but not at the rate that some other states are.

12:47 - And so, you know, anything we do, anything we can do,

12:52 - to keep our talented people in the state, whether they're, you know,

12:57 - working with their hands or whether they're pursuing a four year

12:59 - degree, we need to, we owe it to ourselves as a commonwealth

13:03 - to make those policy decisions and do that.

13:06 - Well, yeah, as I say,

13:08 - just to to your point, I mean, we're facing demographic challenges.

13:11 - And and that's going to be reflected in our, in our budget coming forward.

13:13 - I mean, we're, we're unfortunately we're exporting,

13:16 - you know, working age folks and we're importing seniors.

13:18 - And you know, it's it's great that we're, you know, a great place to retire.

13:23 - But we also want to have state. Exactly.

13:25 - But we also want to have the workforce here to be able

13:26 - to care for those folks as they're moving in.

13:28 - And we want to retain that talent because, you know, those are the folks

13:31 - that are contributing towards the, you know, the state income tax.

13:34 - And they're raising families.

13:35 - I mean, all the other stuff

13:36 - that goes along with it, it's it's really it's a domino effect.

13:38 - So, yeah, I mean, whatever we can do to to the cast that, you know,

13:42 - keep them here and, you know, attract more.

13:44 - I mean, that should be a top priority for us as lawmakers also.

13:47 - Gentlemen, thank you both for being here.

13:49 - It sounds like an area that we can all agree on the need, a lot of solutions.

13:53 - And, maybe we'll see some bipartisan legislation from the two of you.

13:57 - So. Yes. Thank you. Thank you much, Nathan.

14:02 - Excellence isn't just a goal.

14:03 - It's a standard.

14:04 - The great PA schools GPS designation honors Pennsylvania public schools

14:08 - that go above and beyond, where rigorous academics, strong community

14:12 - ties, financial responsibility and resilience come together.

14:16 - Today, we're highlighting one of our GH

14:18 - ribbon recipients, Parkland School District.

14:21 - Parkland High School, the fourth largest in Pennsylvania,

14:24 - serves over 3400 students.

14:27 - It offers a diverse curriculum with 162 electives,

14:31 - 49 dual enrollment courses including seven world languages and 38 arts courses,

14:36 - 30 AP courses, and three Career pathways

14:39 - in Biomedical Science, Computer Science, and Engineering.

14:42 - This year, an 85,000 square foot addition is Breaking ground,

14:46 - featuring 28 general classrooms, 11 science labs,

14:50 - two learning support classrooms, two engineering labs, a robotics lab,

14:54 - an expanded art lab, drawing room, a food lab,

14:58 - and nine small group instruction collaboration spaces.

15:01 - We're looking for the next great Pennsylvania school district.

15:04 - Visit great PA schools.com to share your success story or apply for the GH ribbon.

15:31 - We're

15:32 - continuing our conversation around Pennsylvania's career pipeline,

15:35 - and I'm joined by two guests in his role as president of external Affairs.

15:40 - David Kern leads AT&T public policy and community and philanthropic

15:44 - initiatives throughout the states of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

15:48 - Amelia martucci is the executive director of the Pennsylvania School

15:51 - Counselors Association,

15:53 - a and a long time secondary school counselor at East Allegheny High School.

15:57 - Thank you both for taking the time to talk about this.

16:00 - Great.

16:00 - Thank you. Let's jump in. I want to start on the business side.

16:03 - We talked about that with our legislative panel.

16:05 - AT&T must have some strong needs around making sure

16:09 - that you've got a solid pipeline of folks coming into to work for the company.

16:14 - What are the needs and what's the demand look like from the company right now?

16:18 - We do have a lot of needs and a lot of demands and a lot of different areas.

16:20 - Nathan.

16:21 - Everything from,

16:22 - you know, our retail,

16:23 - which is probably what a lot of people think about with our footprint.

16:26 - But engineers, network engineers, those types of positions.

16:30 - But probably the biggest area we're hiring right now

16:33 - across the country is around cybersecurity and security of networks.

16:38 - So probably we're hiring thousands of,

16:41 - cybersecurity employees, on a regular basis.

16:44 - So it's, just intense that, need there.

16:47 - And something that we and others in our industry have.

16:50 - And when we talk about the, the high school

16:53 - environment and preparing kids for this sort of thing,

16:56 - are you seeing a lot of kids that want to look at, alternative career

17:00 - pathways other than, a four year degree in college that are looking

17:04 - at some of these engineering opportunities?

17:06 - Last one, last segment, we talked a little bit about, the demands

17:09 - across the northern tier with, the oil refineries and things like that.

17:14 - Is that, is that something a lot of students are looking at right now?

17:18 - I believe so I, I don't think that it's an automatic anymore

17:22 - or that students are just going to go to a four year college.

17:26 - Student loans are a

17:27 - huge topic right now, and many students are afraid

17:31 - of being saddled with debt that they have for years after they graduate.

17:36 - Students now are more looking for

17:39 - hands on things that they can do, fairly quickly

17:44 - and things that are more, concrete that they can handle,

17:49 - you know,

17:52 - pretty much as soon as they graduate,

17:54 - they want the training to be able to get out and work.

17:58 - And I see that more and more lately,

18:01 - you know, kind of representing both sides of the spectrum here,

18:03 - hopefully getting kids ready to, to move into some of these opportunities.

18:06 - And you're looking for kids that want those opportunities.

18:09 - What can businesses and schools do collaboratively

18:14 - to strengthen this pipeline to make sure that we're we're giving kids solid options

18:18 - and frankly, that, we're getting enough kids into these opportunities that exist.

18:24 - Where's the collaboration and what can we do?

18:26 - I think one of the first things we can do is just really expose,

18:28 - kids to the opportunities locally.

18:32 - Educators should be working with the business communities in their areas.

18:35 - And also a major trend now is something called work based learning.

18:40 - So, that continues to evolve from when, the three of us were

18:45 - in, we're in school, but businesses right now need qualified workers.

18:49 - We need students that can work in teams that have experiences,

18:54 - that have project management and have that, so-called soft skills.

18:59 - We've we've migrated now to a

19:01 - situation where those team based skills are just critically important

19:06 - and something that we need to ingrain even further, at the K-12 level,

19:11 - within reason, within the the age appropriate curriculum.

19:15 - From a school standpoint, what what can you look for for

19:17 - collaboration from the business community to make sure you understand the needs?

19:21 - Right.

19:21 - Well, we do try to find those work based learning experiences

19:25 - for our students as much as possible.

19:27 - And oftentimes it is the school counselor in the building

19:30 - that will organize things like career fairs.

19:33 - You know, the traditional things that we're all used to.

19:37 - But now there's also job shadowing, internships,

19:41 - like there's more focus on getting them

19:44 - into the job place to see,

19:48 - you know, how, what are the requirements of that job?

19:51 - What does a typical day look like?

19:54 - I think too

19:55 - many students are realizing that there are many paths

19:59 - to get to a certain career, that nobody just has a straight path.

20:04 - And sometimes you come into a career

20:08 - once you start something and you come into it from somewhere else.

20:11 - And so it helps for my students to talk to people in positions

20:17 - that they want to and ask them, how did you find this job?

20:21 - How did you come into this?

20:22 - How did you get the training for this job?

20:24 - And it's it's very different everywhere.

20:27 - So for both of you, is technology changing what the demands are?

20:31 - What the skills are, is that really, as aggressively

20:35 - reshaping this conversation as we, as we think it might be with, with.

20:39 - I mean, are you seeing that from the the high school standpoint?

20:42 - I would say so.

20:43 - But I would say from the standpoint of

20:48 - the soft skills that you were talking about, now that students

20:52 - are so engrossed in technology, they are losing some of those soft skills.

20:57 - So technology is affecting them in ways that now

21:02 - we have to talk about, okay, how do how do you work together?

21:06 - How do you work in a team?

21:08 - And so it's even within the classroom, it's having students

21:12 - work together on projects just so they can learn those skills.

21:15 - Because those skills are.

21:19 - Because of technology use.

21:21 - Same question day for you. Technology.

21:23 - I use a tech company.

21:25 - We are a tech company.

21:26 - I knew we were going to be talking about this for the session, so of course,

21:30 - what did I do?

21:30 - I asked, I what does a career pipeline look like?

21:33 - In new technology with AI and AI analyze the answer.

21:37 - And it was very similar to, what I expected.

21:40 - There are some some tweaks there,

21:41 - but we and students need to learn how to work alongside AI.

21:45 - We have some employees in our companies now do,

21:49 - and students in the future need to learn how to work beside AI now.

21:53 - Its limitations know how it can be beneficial and it is super beneficial.

21:57 - So, you know, we have to be and students are embracing this right now.

22:01 - So this is this is really the need for us is to the next generation

22:05 - coming in, understand technology.

22:06 - So you know, with a little seasoning, if you will, and some experience

22:10 - that can be very, very beneficial.

22:11 - But work alongside AI.

22:13 - And the other thing that I said

22:15 - when I, framed that question to them was adaptability.

22:18 - I mean, that is a huge skill right now for in addition to the soft skills

22:22 - that we talked about, you have to be adaptable.

22:24 - But you know, AI is a great tool, but there's still the personal aspect of it.

22:29 - And that is really what we need

22:31 - our school systems to continue to develop amongst students.

22:34 - If I hear you correctly, the jobs are there, the jobs are there.

22:38 - Absolutely.

22:39 - It's it's the the skill sets that you that you need even more kids interested in.

22:43 - We need the skill sets.

22:44 - You know, going back to AI, we're going to be your students

22:49 - and employees of the future are going to be hired based on their abilities, less

22:54 - so their qualifications are more on the abilities.

22:56 - Back to what Amelia was saying there, too.

22:58 - So, the jobs are there.

23:00 - We have they have to be matched with the students and the students, you know,

23:04 - we need, students that are engaged, and have an understanding.

23:08 - And that's incumbent upon the business community as well.

23:12 - We have a little bit of time left.

23:14 - Strange question.

23:14 - But if you could be, we'll call it governor for a day, legislature for a day.

23:19 - If you could wave a magic wand,

23:21 - what would each of you look to do that would really change?

23:25 - The the skills, the policies.

23:28 - What what could you do?

23:30 - What would you want to do in your one day to be able

23:32 - to really make sure that that this is an area that we're successful in.

23:35 - Amelia. To do?

23:36 - Well, I think in education, the the institution has been around so long.

23:41 - And when you talked about adaptability, that's something

23:44 - that education like we are struggling to do that.

23:48 - So I think I would try to,

23:53 - make education more innovative,

23:55 - provide, students with more opportunities to go out into the workforce

24:00 - rather than just sitting in the classroom all day providing more experiences

24:05 - for them, in order to better prepare them for the future.

24:10 - And what's to come after they graduate.

24:12 - Yeah, I would agree with that.

24:13 - More work based learning opportunities, more project management opportunities,

24:17 - more, you know, mentorship opportunities for employees.

24:20 - I know employees at AT&T, at our company were very interested in volunteering,

24:23 - and we do a good job of that.

24:25 - But I think there's more opportunities there.

24:27 - Yeah.

24:28 - The education system.

24:29 - I'm not an expert in, but is can be a little rigid.

24:32 - You know, employers

24:33 - and people in the communities have have that opportunity as well.

24:36 - So I just think, you know, working together, business and education,

24:41 - it's going to have to be how we best prepare future communities.

24:46 - Final word from each of you career pipeline.

24:49 - What's next?

24:50 - If you're giving advice to your fellow, businesses in Pennsylvania?

24:54 - What's next?

24:55 - What can they be doing? We talked about AT&T.

24:58 - How do you get the entire business community to greater collaborate

25:01 - with education?

25:02 - I would say, don't be afraid of the four walls.

25:04 - That are the school buildings out there.

25:06 - Engage with your school leadership.

25:09 - And hopefully it's a two way street.

25:11 - You know, think about if you're a school and you draw concentric one mile or two

25:14 - mile circle, around the school, did the schools really know

25:18 - even what the businesses are around there?

25:20 - And there's a lot of opportunities there.

25:22 - So, you know, let's get past the walls, of the school building

25:26 - and the walls of the business and break those walls down and work together.

25:28 - And, Amelia, students, we're talking about shortages in the number of students

25:32 - that want to go into these sorts of things.

25:33 - AT&T has the jobs.

25:35 - They just need the skills.

25:37 - How do we get more kids?

25:38 - Interested?

25:39 - How do we how do we better fill that pipeline?

25:42 - Well, it does start with awareness.

25:44 - If they're not aware of the jobs or what the jobs entail, then they

25:49 - they won't pursue those jobs because they don't even know that they exist.

25:53 - So, you know, increasing the awareness,

25:56 - like you said, bringing in businesses into the schools.

25:59 - And as far as career speakers, career fairs or anything like that,

26:04 - mentoring, any of those things,

26:07 - and creating opportunities

26:11 - for students to not only become more aware of these jobs

26:15 - that are out there, but also to help to prepare them for those jobs.

26:19 - We are all lifelong learners.

26:21 - And it's not just, you know, K-12, k 16

26:25 - in the new economy, we are all lifelong learners.

26:27 - We're learning every day.

26:29 - A great way to end it.

26:30 - Thank you both. David. Amelia, thanks for being here.

26:32 - Thank you. Thank you.

26:34 - Excellence isn't just a goal, it's a standard.

26:36 - The great PA schools GPS designation honors Pennsylvania public schools

26:41 - that go above and beyond, where rigorous academics, strong community

26:44 - ties, financial responsibility and resilience come together.

26:48 - Today, we're highlighting

26:49 - one of our GH ribbon recipients, Central York School District.

26:53 - Central York School District serves over 5800 students across seven schools,

26:58 - a cyber academy, and an educational service center

27:02 - supported by more than 700 staff.

27:04 - The district is part of a vibrant community of 40,000 residents.

27:09 - Central York offers a high quality academic experience

27:12 - in a collaborative and supportive environment.

27:15 - It's ranked number two in York County and home to the number one

27:18 - public high school, according to Niche.com.

27:21 - The music department has earned national honors for 19 consecutive years.

27:26 - Elementary Panthers explore core subjects

27:28 - like math, science, reading, you're writing, social studies

27:32 - and specials, including music, art, library and physical education.

27:37 - Middle and high school Panthers experience rigorous academics

27:41 - and a wide range of opportunities, including 23 varsity sports, award

27:45 - winning theater, music ensembles, and clubs that support diverse

27:49 - interests and community involvement.

27:51 - We're looking for the next great Pennsylvania school district.

27:54 - Visit great PA schools.com to share your success story,

27:58 - or apply for the GH ribbon.

28:24 - Thanks for tuning in to the Keystone Education Report.

28:26 - Today's episode explored Pennsylvania's career pipeline.

28:29 - We examined how students are being guided towards high demand career

28:33 - through education, training, and real world experiences.

28:37 - Join us next time as we continue to explore the challenges

28:40 - and the opportunities shaping public education across

28:43 - the Commonwealth.

29:09 - Missed the latest episode?

29:10 - No problem.

29:12 - View last month's episode and read more about the Keystone

29:15 - Education Report at Seaborg slash

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29:22 - Whether you're a school leader, policymaker, or passionate advocate,

29:26 - the Keystone Education Report keeps you connected to what matters

29:30 - most in public education.

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