[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 149 (Thursday, September 14, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S5746]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. KAINE (for himself, Mrs. Capito, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Wyden, 
        Mr. Casey, Mr. Whitehouse, and Mr. Warner):
  S. 1814. 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. Far too many students leave our Country's 
classrooms ill-equipped to keep up with the demands of the 21st century 
job market. Many enter high school and postsecondary education 
uninformed of the range of careers available to them. For our Country's 
continued success, it is essential that our young people have exposure 
to the vast range of available work and career options early in their 
academic careers so that, by the time they begin high school, they are 
more knowledgeable about future paths and what they need to do to 
pursue them.
  Wherever I travel through Virginia I hear the same thing from 
business owners, manufacturers, and plant managers: there are good 
paying jobs out there, we just need to train our students with the 
skills to fill them. Middle school is a time for students to begin 
thinking about what they want to pursue in life. Helping them explore 
how their coursework could support those interests can make a valuable 
difference down the road.
  Programs that focus on career and technical education (CTE) allow for 
students to explore their own strengths and passions, as well as how 
they match up with potential future careers. But limited funding for 
middle school CTE programming often requires students to wait until 
high school for access to this type of experience.
  This is why I am pleased to introduce today the Middle School 
Technical Education Program Act, or Middle STEP Act. This bipartisan 
legislation creates a pilot program that allows for middle schools to 
partner with colleges and local businesses to develop and implement CTE 
exploration programs that give students access to apprenticeships or 
project-based learning opportunities. Additionally, middle school CTE 
programs funded through the Middle STEP Act would give students access 
to career guidance and academic counseling to help them understand the 
educational requirements for high-growth, in-demand career fields. 
Programs would assist students in drafting a high school graduation 
plan that demonstrates what courses prepare them for a given career. 
The programs must also provide a clear transition path from the 
introductory middle school program to a more narrow focus of CTE study 
in high school, and must be accessible to students from economically 
disadvantaged, urban and rural communities.
  I believe this meaningful legislation can propel young students 
toward the careers of the future, and help to fill workforce shortages 
across the Commonwealth and the Nation. I strongly encourage my 
colleagues to consider this legislation to allow for students to have 
opportunities to explore potential career choices and pathways early on 
in their academic careers. Their futures depend on it.

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