New Jersey Schools Celebrate National Career and Technical Education Month

NJDOE News

For More Information Contact the Public Information Office:
    Richard Vespucci
    Kathryn Forsyth, Director
    609-292-1126

For Release: February 21, 2008

New Jersey Schools Celebrate National Career and Technical Education Month

New Jersey schools are celebrating National Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month in a variety of ways throughout February. The New Jersey Department of Education’s Office of Career and Technical Education will be participating in activities to mark National Entrepreneurship Week, February 23 to March 1, to culminate the month-long observance.

New Jersey’s five-year state plan for career and technical education recognizes entrepreneurship as a significant component of preparing students for multiple career pathways to success in the 21st century. The national nonprofit Center for Economic Development ranked New Jersey first in the nation for entrepreneurial energy in 2006 based on the number of new companies established and on the number of new jobs created by new companies. High quality career and technical education programs contribute to the sustainability of existing small and medium size businesses by nurturing students’ entrepreneurial skills.

The Office of Career and Technical Education will conduct a variety of activities during National Entrepreneurship Week, which are highlighted below. OCTE will:

Join with the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce to offer Web-based seminars known as Webinars, focusing on CTE content areas;
Host Entrepreneurship Day at the Department of Education in Trenton for DOE staff and invited guests through various presentations and exhibits;
Participate in activities designed to stimulate a more expanded role for Junior Achievement activities;
Send all school districts a copy of the business curriculum created by the New Jersey Business and Industry Association. The curriculum is aligned with the Core Curriculum Content Standards;
Create an Entrepreneurship Resources List to be posed on DOE’s Web-site; and
Continue to support the activities of New Jersey’s seven career and technical student organizations.

For more information on national CTE month activities, visit the Association for Career and Technical Education Web-site at: http://www.acteonline.org/

For details about activities planned in New Jersey, contact Maria Constantin, Office of Career and Technical Education, 609-984-2599 or by e-mail at maria.constantin@doe.state.nj.us.