Technical education partnership benefits Kentucky students

Gov. Paul Patton announced today a technical education partnership that creates a more seamless path to postsecondary education
and training for Kentucky high school students, allowing them to get a head start on their college education.

The partnership between the Cabinet for Workforce Development’s Department for Technical Education and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System
(KCTCS) allows technical education students to simultaneously enroll in high school and community and technical colleges. It also simplifies course transfers from high
school technical programs to KCTCS.

This partnership includes all of the systems’ major program areas – information technology, business technology, health careers, construction technology, automotive
technology and manufacturing technology.

“Kentucky Tech students now have the opportunity to earn KCTCS credit while in high school, transfer that to any of the 28 community and technical colleges and not
miss a beat in their education,” said the governor. “This also provides them with a solid foundation of skills they need to be successful in today’s and tomorrow’s
economy.”

More than 65 percent of Kentucky’s job growth in the next five years will be in jobs requiring some or extensive postsecondary education and training, according to the
Kentucky Department for Employment Services. The governor noted that technical education leads to good-paying careers in both the traditional and new economies.

“Kentucky Tech and KCTCS prepare students for jobs as computer database administrators, laboratory technologists, electricians and tool and die makers, just to name
a few,” Patton said. “The schools also lay the groundwork for students who want to become engineers, doctors and scientists.

“These are not the vocational schools of the 1950s when the activities often centered around making a bird house in shop class,” Patton said. “These are state-of-the-art
technical schools and colleges where young men and women train on computers and highly advanced equipment that is used by today’s cutting-edge industries and
health care facilities.”

KCTCS President Michael B. McCall said that this partnership has far-reaching implications for Kentucky students.

“KCTCS colleges focus on creating seamless pathways that assist students in moving from secondary through postsecondary education,” said Michael B. McCall,
KCTCS president. “Our partnership with Kentucky Tech promotes access to postsecondary education and changes the lives of students across the Commonwealth.”

“It’s never too early for students to start thinking about their future education and career options,” said Cabinet for Workforce Development Secretary Allen D. Rose.
“Kentucky Tech classes save students time and money, give them options for continuing their education at a community or technical college practically anywhere in the
state and lead to fulfilling, good-paying jobs.”

In the current school year, more than 24,000 students are enrolled in 53 Kentucky Tech schools that serve 127 of the state’s school districts. More information about
Kentucky Tech, including school locations, is available at http://www.kycwd.org or by calling 1-800-223-5632.

KCTCS enrolls 63,000 students in credit courses and touches the lives of 250,000 students annually through a wide variety of program and services. KCTCS colleges
provide accessible and affordable education and training through academic and technical associate degrees; diploma and certificate programs in occupational fields;
pre-baccalaureate education; adult, continuing and development education; customized training for business and industry; and distance learning. For more information,
visit http://www.kctcs.net .

NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Terri Giltner (502) 564-2611
Janet Williams Hoover (502) 564-6606
Bryan Armstrong (859) 246-3146

http://gov.state.ky.us/pressreleases/2002/techedpartnership.htm