Better Prepared Students Make For A Better Economy

Make For A Better Economy (NAPS)—Students who do well at school also do good for the economy when they graduate. That may account for the finding of a recent study which showed many businesses and educators believed that initiatives that encourage students to learn in workplaces and other community settings are valuable. PUBLIC FORUM | When students are oriented towards the right career, the economybenefits. A good example of this is the praise being garnered for Schoolto-Work (STW). A “venture capital” initiative administered jointly by the Departments of Education and Labor, STW provides funding to support states and local communi- ties in their efforts to increase student achievement and prepare youth for post-secondary education and careers. In the study, more than 700 “customers” shared extensive feedback on their experiences through a series of regional and national forums. One student commented, “STW is all about finding something in life you love so much you’d doit for free, but you learn to do it so well you get paid forit.” Overall, participants felt STW had played an important role in developing a “strong and globally competitive workforce,” as well as fundamentally changing and revitalizing the nation’s education and workforce developmentefforts. Moreinformation is available at www.PublicForumInstitute.com.