Spring 2008 Tech Prep Worksession was a great success!!



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The Alaska Tech Prep Consortium is pleased to announce that it successfully enrolled a total of 100 high school teachers, university professors, high school administrators, career guides, counselors, university administrators, state of Alaska Department of Education and Early Development and Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) staff in a statewide professional development event. The conference was held on Thursday, February 28 and Friday, February 29, 2008 at the BP Energy Center. Representing 45 educational organizations, many of the participants are members of the Alaska Tech Prep Consortium, founded in 2005 as a statewide initiative to provide high school students with an opportunity to participate in a rigorous yet seamless educational system. Tech Prep combines high level academics with technical preparation for successful continuation with higher education that prepares students to enter an increasingly competitive workforce. Funded by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, Tech Prep is part of a nationwide high school reform movement to promote 2+2 career pathways between high school and college—students can receive both high school and college credit for some of the courses in the program, providing a head start and financial savings on postsecondary education. Twenty-one Alaska school districts currently have Tech Prep articulation agreements with the University of Alaska system and other institutions of higher learning.

Fred Villa, Associate Vice President, Workforce Programs from University of Alaska Statewide, spoke about the University's work with career clusters and pathways, see the link to his presentation below.