Calling for the City Council Committee on Education to hold hearings on expanding the Career and Technical Education Program in the Philadelphia School District that would give students job ready skills upon graduating from high school, and provide alternatives for those seeking to work after high school.

WHEREAS, The School District of Philadelphia offers Career and Technical Education in the areas of: business, communications, cosmetology/fashion design, construction, early childhood care and education, health, hospitality, information technology, natural sciences and transportation; and

WHEREAS, In Philadelphia there is a high demand for more vocational programs where the amount of applicants applying for quality programs far exceeds the amount of slots available. It is not uncommon for technical high schools to receive thousands of applications to fill only a few hundred slots; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia has five Career and Technical Education High Schools where all students participate in vocational programs, in addition to several other traditional high schools offering vocational training, totaling to about 30 schools offering these types of programs Philadelphia School District Schools; and

WHEREAS, Vocational programs have experienced success placing their students into jobs upon graduation. For instance, in the 2014-2015 School Year, Randolph Technical High School’s Welding Program was able to place 100% of its students into jobs after graduation; and

WHEREAS, A 2015 study found that Philadelphia student participating in the Career and Technical Education Program graduate at a rate 22% higher than students not enrolled in the program; and

WHEREAS, Vocational Education Programs provide more options for students, giving them a marketable skill out of high school, and making them more likely to secure a job and higher wages. Additionally, 40% of the School District’s Career and Technical education graduation continue on to post secondary education, giving them an edge over students who did not receive technical training in high school; and

WHEREAS, There is a need for workers in skilled trades in the United States at large, with recent data stating there are 806,000 jobs open in the trade, transportation and utilities sector and 293,000 jobs open in manufacturing; and

WHEREAS, The School District can capitalize on the current market and form more partnerships with the private sector in order to create more real life job opportunities for those coming out of the Career and Technical Education Program; now, therefore, be it

resolved, That the City Council Committee on Education hold hearings on expanding the Career and Technical Education Program in the Philadelphia School District that would give students job ready skills upon graduating from high school, and provide alternatives for those seeking to work after high school.

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