Education

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation publishes content on education and related issues. Find and access current and archived items in our database. 

Above the Fold - Perkins Reauthorization
© Penn Commercial Business/Technical School in Washington, PA
Congress last week passed and the president today signed legislation reauthorizing the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, which provides important funding for programs focused on the academic, career, and technical skills development for high school and higher education students. Highlights of the reauthorization include new opportunities for partnerships between employers and educators to improve student preparation for in-demand jobs, measures that improve alignment with other workforce development programs, and increased program accountability.
NCAM 2018 by EverFi
© EverFi
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) - observed every October - was created to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity. The 2018 NCSAM overarching theme, “Our Shared Responsibility,” centers around the idea that we must work together to improve our nation’s cybersecurity and create opportunities for changing behaviors online among consumers, students, and business. 
Georgia Skyline
© 2018 Getty Images
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. 
McDonald's Archways to Opportunity
© McDonald's
As the respective employers of 850,000 restaurant employees in thousands of communities across the U.S., McDonald’s and its franchisees know that a significant number of restaurant employees are among those 38 million without high school diplomas. Through our comprehensive education program, Archways to Opportunity, we are preparing the employees of today for the business of tomorrow.

U.S. Chamber Foundation Announces New Funders, Pilot Projects for Job Data Exchange

Press Release_JDX Pilot Phase and New Funding Support
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation announced today additional support for the Job Data Exchange (JDX), an effort to help employers and their HR technology partners more clearly communicate hiring requirements in a rapidly changing talent marketplace. These new funding partners are Lumina Foundation, Schmidt Futures, and Walmart. Google.org and JPMorgan Chase & Co. previously announced their support for the project.
FutureProofing - ExxonMobil
© ExxonMobil
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.
Above the Fold - Pledge to the American Worker
© U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Last week the administration launched what it termed “the next step” in its economic agenda: a sweeping, administration-wide effort to equip the American workforce to succeed in the modern economy. To propel this initiative forward, it is seeking advice and cooperation from leaders in business and education. Our message at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is simple: Count us in. We look forward to continuing our work with the administration on this issue of critical importance to the entire business community.
FutureProofing - PNC
© Provided by FreeEnterprise.com
How do you pitch giving back as good business? And how do you make a financial services company care—really care—about making a dent in early childhood education, an issue that doesn’t show up anywhere on the balance sheet? These were the questions that the leaders of the PNC Foundation had to answer if PNC was going to play a huge role in improving early childhood education in the communities they serve. The research was clear and irrefutable. The benefits of quality early childhood education are not only social, but economic, with a benefit as high as $16 for every dollar invested. And today’s preschoolers are tomorrow’s workforce.
STEM Scholars 2018 Wrap Up
© EverFi
A yet to be released report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation STEM Scholars program reveals student knowledge gains, behaviors, and attitudinal changes across the country. The findings provide an analysis of data from more than 4,000 students in 27 schools across Michigan, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Texas. Overall, findings suggest that connecting students’ personal interests and strengths to STEM skills helps students better see themselves in STEM. 
New Braunfels Tour Featured Image
© New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce
Chambers of Commerce across the country have a unique challenge - to protect and promote the local business community and support their needs as they face the nation's workforce challenges. The New Braunfels Chamber in Texas reflects on what worked for them over the past year of actively working to build a community system that would solve for some of those challenges and gives us four lessons learned in the progress.

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