Skills Gap in Delaware – Pathways to Prosperity

Last year, in response to a need expressed by the Delaware Manufacturing Association for a pipeline of skilled workers to help the industry thrive in this new era, leaders from across the state came together to create a dual enrollment program for Delaware high school juniors and seniors.

The two-year program kicked off in the fall of 2014 in two of our state’s school districts and provides students the opportunity to finish high school with real world experience, college credits, and industry credentials that provide a jump start on a career in manufacturing. It is the first career and technical education pathway in Governor Jack Markell’s Pathways to Prosperity initiative, focused on ensuring that more young people complete high school and attain postsecondary credentials that lead to jobs.

While the first class of manufacturing students won’t graduate until next year, two more districts signed on this fall. And there are plans to expand again next year. The program’s success is founded on partnerships, industry-recognized credentials, and highly-qualified graduates.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at How Delaware is creating a pipeline of skilled workers in manufacturing | Brookings Institution