[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 98 (Thursday, June 18, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4301-S4302]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KAINE (for himself, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Casey, Mr. Whitehouse, 
        and Mr. Warner):
  S. 1609. A bill to provide support for the development of middle 
school career exploration programs linked to career and technical 
education programs of study; to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, as the labor market of the 21st century 
continues to transform, it will be critical to ensure that American 
workers are equipped with the skills and expertise needed to meet the 
variety of demands in the global marketplace It is critical that we 
continue to reform and update our education system to ensure that 
America's students are prepared for cutting-edge careers. Today, many 
students enter high school and postsecondary education with little 
knowledge of the careers available to them outside of traditional 
pathways. Research has found that few middle school students have a 
lack of understanding of how what they are learning in school relates 
to careers. With college costs continuing to rise, it is critical that 
students have exposure to the wide range of available work and career 
choices early in their academic careers so that, by the time they enter 
high school, they are more informed about future paths and what they 
need to do to pursue them.
  Career and technical education, CTE, programs play a pivotal role in 
preparing students for America's job market, and are proven to help 
students explore their own strengths and preferences, and match up with 
potential future careers. However, a lack of Federal investment in 
middle school CTE programming often means students have to wait until 
high school for this exposure.
  Middle school is a critical time when students explore their own 
strengths, likes, and dislikes, and begin to form long-term career 
goals. Studies have found that middle school students who participate 
in career and technical education development programs that promote 
career exploration skills are able to make more informed career 
decisions by increasing knowledge of career options and career pathways 
that match their interests. Additionally, these programs play a 
positive role in engaging students in the classroom and on their 
academic success.
  I am proud to introduce the Middle School Technical Education Program 
Act, which establishes a pilot program for middle schools to partner 
with postsecondary institutions and local businesses to develop and 
implement

[[Page S4302]]

career and technical exploration programs. This legislation will 
provide support for middle schools to create career and technical 
education programs that will provide students with introductory 
courses, hands-on learning, or afterschool programs. Career guidance 
and academic counseling is vital to ensuring that our students 
understand the educational requirements for high-growth, in-demand 
career fields. Many times students receive this information too late in 
their academic careers.
  We need to work to improve middle school education to prepare 
students for cutting-edge careers and expose students to the variety of 
career pathways. This legislation also requires that programs helps 
students draft a high school graduation plan that demonstrates what 
courses would prepare them for a given career field. If we provide 
youth with applied career exploration opportunities, they will be more 
informed about future paths and what they need to do to pursue them. I 
am hopeful this bill will help highlight current shortcomings in middle 
schools, and instigate further discussion on the importance of 
educating youth early on the multitude of educational and career 
pathways.
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