Langevin Announces Contest to Name Top RI Career & Tech Educators

Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), who co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus, today announced an opportunity for Rhode Islanders to nominate extraordinary contributors to career and technical education (CTE) for statewide honors.
 
SkillsUSA’s Rhode Island Chapter is accepting nominations through December 1, 2011, for its CTE Educator of the Year and Advisor of the Year, with winners revealed next March. The Educator award goes to a teacher, school administrator or businessperson who has had the most impact in helping high school students develop their technical skills, preparing them for quality jobs, and advancing the state’s CTE efforts.
 
For the Advisor contest, eligibility is limited to CTE advisors in Rhode Island schools participating in SkillsUSA programs. The winner will have his/her name submitted for consideration by the organization for National Advisor of the Year. More information, including nomination forms, can be found at www.skillsusari.org. Any questions regarding either award should be directed to Josh Klemp, the Rhode Island SkillsUSA Director, at jklemp@ccri.edu.
 
“I commend Josh Klemp for his work to recognize the outstanding Rhode Island educators who are leading the way in a critical area of workforce development,” said Langevin. “We must improve the job training our students receive to better align with the needs of growing industries and it is important to highlight effective models that can help schools throughout the state offer the most beneficial career and technical education programs. I look forward to continuing to partner with SkillsUSA in this effort.”
 
Langevin has taken a lead role locally and nationally in supporting CTE. Last month, he unveiled the Education for Tomorrow’s Jobs Act, a bipartisan bill that would foster greater integration of traditional academics, career and technical education training and workplace experience for secondary school students. Other legislation Langevin has authored would offer grants for alternative math and science education that provide the hands-on learning opportunities our students need to excel. He has also rallied more than 50 colleagues from across the political spectrum to advocate restoring Perkins Act funding, which gives CTE students access to the latest technology and equipment. In Rhode Island, Langevin brought public and private sector leaders together for a Pathways to Prosperity Summit earlier this year to foster better collaboration and launched the Rhode Island Cyber Foundations Competition to develop young talent in cybersecurity, a growing high-skill field.
 
SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit that aims to improve training of high school and college students for technical, skilled and service occupations. The organization, which serves more than 264,500 students, runs local, state and national competitions in which students demonstrate occupational and leadership skills. During the annual national-level SkillsUSA Championships, more than 4,500 students compete in 77 occupational and leadership skill areas. SkillsUSA programs also help to establish industry standards for job skill training in the classroom.