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Now more than ever, the success of American business and the effectiveness of our education systems are inextricably linked. Business leaders must be even more engaged in ensuring that our education and workforce systems are preparing learners beginning at an early age for the increasing demands of the globally competitive 21st century knowledge economy.

In 2007, Wheeling, Illinois faced a labor shortage and an aging workforce. With purposeful communication with local employers, District 214 recognized that the local talent pool did not have the necessary skills and training needed to fill jobs in the community. District 214 launched the Career Pathways Program in their high schools with the help of universities, businesses, and other community leaders.

Over the past 10 years, the state of Georgia has aggressively invested in linking public education with the needs of industry by creating a statewide network of 46 College and Career Academies, while significantly expanding dual enrollment, industry apprenticeships, and post-secondary opportunities for high school students. These opportunities allow students to obtain industry credentials for quality, in-demand jobs that meet the needs of each community’s workforce. 

Like many countries around the world, the United States faces a shortage of highly-skilled science and technology workers. In the past decade, employment growth in STEM occupations has markedly outpaced growth in non-STEM occupations, and while there will be an estimated 3.4 million STEM jobs available between 2015 to 2025, only about 1.4 million workers will be qualified to fill them, according to a study by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute. ExxonMobil is taking this challenge head on – but it’s not doing so alone.