Employ
Florida Banner Center
Career
Academies/Secondary
A highly skilled and trained workforce is essential for any
business to compete or remain competitive in a global and
ever-changing economy. In many cases, the demand for this workforce
far exceeds the availability, creating a codependent link between
education and economic development. Unfortunately, this link has
been disjointed and misaligned, at best, and begs to be
restructured. Education and training systems operate in relative
isolation from broader economic development efforts. This is largely
due to the fact that state policies governing education, workforce
development, and social human services are designed and implemented
with few relevant connections. State agencies have unilateral
agendas by design, and as a result, do not effectively work together
to produce the kind of skilled worker needed in today’s changing
economy.
To meet the challenges of the Roadmap to Florida’s Future 2007 to
20129, Florida’s secondary career cademy model must integrate best
practices and remain mindful of future challenges to develop a
world-class workforce. The Employ Florida Banner Center for
Secondary Career Academies has developed a secondary career academy
model that:
• can operate in small, medium and large-sized secondary schools;
• can be cost-effective as determined by local educational agencies;
• can be embedded in secondary schools;
• can support dual-enrollment; and
• can meet the economic needs of Florida.
The standards that form the foundation for an academy to be
certified by the Employ Florida Banner Center for Secondary Career
Academies are outcome based. The standards are:
• Postsecondary articulation agreements
• Linkage to Workforce Florida, Inc.
• Students earn industry certifications
• Alignment with local, regional, state, and federal initiatives
• Formal recognition by industry
These standards allow for local flexibility and the expansion of
secondary career academies embedded in Florida’s high schools. The
immediate and critical issue of serving Florida’s workforce needs is
compelling enough to allow diversity in the implementation models.
(NCAC, NAF, Florida Chapter 2007-216, CHOICE, etc.)
Jeff Scroggins
Director, Choice Institutes
Okalossa County Schools
1976 Lewis Turner Blvd.
Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32547
850.833.3259
SCROGGINSC@mail.okaloosa.k12.fl.us
www.bannersecondary.com
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