A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

  FOR RELEASE                      Contact: Ivette Rodriguez (ED)   February 6, 1996                                (202) 401-0262                                             Diane Quinn (DOL)                                                   (202) 219-8211

But other students, seeking to combine education and career preparation, may find their options limited. Such opportunities are now in jeopardy because the congressional majority is poised to cut School to Work programs by more than 22 percent, from $245 million last year to $190 million. President Clinton has requested $400 million -- enough to honor existing commitments to 27 states and to initiate school-to-work opportunities in an additional 15 states. But Congress has failed to pass a 1996 budget.

"School to Work is a good program," Mac says. "By investing in it, you're investing in the future, and it will help you out in the long run. It's a really good opportunity for people. School to Work is something we need more of. Without it, I don't think I would have gone to college and gotten the job at Motorola."

School to Work partnerships help all students get the academic and career skills they need to go to college and prepare for meaningful careers. School to Work experiences are designed to develop young people's competence, confidence and connections that can ensure successful careers and citizenship.

As a senior last year at the East Valley Institute of Technology, a regional technical high school in Mesa, Mac set his sights on a career in electronics. He attended school in the mornings and worked in the afternoons. His classes in school emphasized high academic standards, but they also were practical and concretely related to his work experience and career path. His managers at Motorola are so impressed with his work that the company promised to pay his way through college -- a benefit usually reserved for full time employees.

Today Mac is studying for a technical associate's degree. He takes 15 credit hours of class and spends four hours every day working as a technician in Motorola's semiconductor division, where they make computer chips for pagers, cellular phones, stereos and televisions.

In the future, he plans to pursue bachelor's and master's degrees at Arizona State University in Tempe, with Motorola covering more than half of his education expenses. Mac's ultimate goal is to become an electrical engineer and continue working at Motorola.

Motorola, the East Valley Institute of Technology and Mesa Community College are all participants in Arizona's East Valley School-to-Work Initiative. This regional consortium of over 350 industry and education partners provides the impetus for creating programs for students such as Mac.

"All of our partners have a stake in Mac's success," says Lawrence Mello, coordinator of the East Valley School-to-Work Initiative. "By working together, we can help Mac attain a high quality of life for himself as well as provide a skilled, educated and motivated workforce to meet our country's needs."

Success stories, such as Mac's, are the direct result of the national focus on school-to-work transition systems spearheaded by the Departments of Education and Labor. Jointly administered by these two departments, the School to Work Opportunities Act funds initiatives that help young people attain the quality education needed to obtain a job with a future.

Arizona, for example, has been involved in a multi year, school to work planning process, made possible in part by a $472,224 School to Work state development grant which has helped communities focus on the benefits of providing students with relevant curriculum in the classroom and real-life work experiences. In addition, Arizona has been awarded a $3.6 million state implementation grant to set in motion additional School to Work initiatives throughout the state, such as those that have helped Mac become successful.

The School to Work Opportunities Act was passed in May 1994 with strong bipartisan support from Congress. A snapshot survey taken just one year later in the eight original School to Work implementation states showed that 116,351 students; 2,730 schools; and 41,772 employers were involved in School to Work initiatives that bring together parents, teachers and business leaders to better prepare students both academically and for the world of work.

"School to Work is the best of all possible worlds," says Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley. "It joins the concepts of high academic standards, real-life curriculum and work-based learning experiences to prepare our young people for the challenges of living and working in today's competitive, technologically-driven environment. Simply put, it's schooling that works."

"In our rapidly changing world economy, what you earn depends on what you learn," says Secretary of Labor Robert B. Reich. "It wasn't so long ago that a strong back and the will to work could earn you a ticket to well-paying jobs in America's mass production industries. But now you need a strong background in academics and strong occupational skills -- together with the ability to think critically, solve problems -- and the willingness to keep on learning. School to Work provides this."

Since 1994, all states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, have received more than $30 million in grants used to plan school to work partnerships. To date, 27 states also have been awarded $203 million in implementation grants used to help states build and promote school-to-work partnerships; 15 localities have received $15.6 million for local partnership activities; 21 urban and rural areas have obtained grants totaling more than $16 million; and eight awards totaling $593,000 have been awarded for programs serving Native American youth.