Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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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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