Panel focuses on the importance of partnership and collaboration between P-12, higher education and government to bolster career and technical education and strengthen the workforce

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. — JUNE 20, 2024 — On Thursday, June 20, Dutchess Community College welcomed U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona and Congressman Pat Ryan for a Career Pathway Roundtable discussion featuring P-12, higher education, and industry leadership along with students with direct experience in career-focused education programs.

Representative Pat Ryan and US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona met with local leaders and students from across NY-18 to discuss the importance of career and technical education pathways. In addition to Secretary Cardona and Representative Ryan, the following were included on the panel of roundtable participants:

  • Peter Jordan – President, Dutchess Community College
  • Matthew Canfield – Student, Dutchess Community College
  • Daisy Rodriguez – Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, Arlington CSD
  • Terlyka Horton – Student, Arlington CSD
  • Jackielyn Manning Campbell – Superintendent, Newburgh CSD
  • Leiyla Barthe– Student, Newburgh CSD, P-TECH
  • Jonah Schenker – District Superintendent, Ulster BOCES
  • Johnnieanne Hansen – Vice President of Workforce Development and Operations, Council of Industries
  • Yelena Vaynberg – Workforce Policy Executive, Government and Regulatory Affairs, IBM

Representative Ryan said, “We have such an awesome team in the Hudson Valley. We just have everybody working together in a truly bipartisan way – we’ve got elected officials, school superintendents. We’ve got principals, we’ve got educators, and most importantly, we’ve got the students!”

The three students included in the discussion shared their perspectives on the importance of making these career pathways known and accessible, advocating for apprenticeships, work-based learning opportunities, and education about the different choices available to students.

DCC student Mathew Canfield said, “I think it’s important to make sure that students are aware of how viable these career paths really are.”

Industry professionals and educators in the room agreed, sharing the benefits of paid apprenticeships and college-in-the-high school programs that create clear pathways for students, like the PTECH program in Newburgh or the one beginning in Poughkeepsie with Dutchess Community College this fall.

Cardona said, “The goal for the Department of Education is to help not only to unlock dollars, technical assistance, but also to help lift up examples, and that’s what I’m doing here today – lifting up an example of what we want to see across the country.”

DCC President Peter Jordan said, “As a community college, we are perfectly positioned to serve as a hub between industry, government, and education. Community colleges provide the necessary career and technical education required to support a thriving workforce, be it through direct training programs in allied health or construction, manufacturing, or early childhood education. These programs ensure that we are supporting the workforce needs of our community.”

Photos from the event can be accessed here.

 

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