In addition, the state summit will include a workshop to give school districts hands-on help in applying for career technical education bond funds. Currently, career technical education vision is enjoying increased state funding, bond financing and a heightened public profile—reversing decades of underinvestment by the state and local school districts and bucking current federal efforts to reduce funding. “California is a global center of innovation and a nation-state in terms of economic power. But we must make investments in career tech education if we are going to keep our competitive edge,” said Governor Schwarzenegger.

This past November, California voters passed an education bond that includes $500 million in grants for career technical education facilities. The quick, efficient distribution and use of these funds is a top priority for the Governor. The Office of Public School Construction has been instructed to expeditiously implement the career technical education portion of the bonds for facilities to support the educational program. The California Labor and Workforce Development Agency estimates that by 2014, California will need 73,100 carpenters, 25,100 electricians 132,000 nurses and 11,700 welders. The state’s nanotechnology sector needs 250,000 production workers in the next 10 years.