For Immediate Release
Louisiana Department of Education Launches Educator Fellowship Program to Enhance Career Education
The Louisiana Department of Education is partnering with the national, non-profit organization America Achieves to launch the Louisiana Educator Voice Fellowship for 21st Century Learning. The Fellowship is an opportunity for the State’s most forward-thinking educators to learn about the rapidly changing economy and implications for students, and to pair this learning with their educational expertise to create a new career readiness course for Louisiana public schools.
The course will help all students statewide to better understand their career opportunities and prepare themselves for future college and career success.
“Louisiana has made great strides in advancing career and technical education for all students,” said State Superintendent John White, noting the Department has worked with regional teams of employers, educators and workforce experts to develop nearly 50 graduation pathways, establish paid summer internships and boost the number of students earning industry-based credentials. “As we continue to create hands-on opportunities for our students outside the classroom, we must also ensure they are receiving updated and innovative experiences inside of it. There is no one better to tailor that curricula to Louisiana’s needs than our own educators and industry leaders.
The Fellowship will connect 24 teachers, counselors, principals and district leaders from across Louisiana with state leaders and industry experts to learn about the changing set of skills, knowledge and preparation students need to be successful in the jobs of the future.
The Fellowship will work with industry leaders statewide in the development of the course. This month, Ochsner Health System, one of the largest employers in the state of Louisiana, is hosting the educator Fellows to show them the range of 21st century careers available in the health care industry, and to have conversations with company leaders about the skills people need to be successful at Ochsner. “As the healthcare landscape continues to change, there is an ever-growing need for well-trained healthcare professionals,” said Missy Sparks, Vice President of Talent Management at Ochsner Health System. “Programs like this fellowship provide the opportunity for the next generation of healthcare professionals to get an early start to a meaningful and fulfilling career, and for employers like Ochsner Health System to play a role in developing the future of our workforce.”
“We are very excited for the opportunity to host the Fellows at Lucid headquarters. We feel strongly about being part of our community, improving our workforce, and helping better prepare those from Louisiana with the training and skills they need to work at a rapidly growing technology company like Lucid,” said Nicole Patel, Vice President, People at Lucid.
Fellows will also review best practices of Jump Start, Louisiana’s premier career and technical education program, and study innovative methods for 21st century teaching and learning from across the country and around the world.
The course that these educators help the State create will replace Journey to Careers, the State’s current career readiness curriculum.
“Every young person in Louisiana ought to be able to leverage their hard work and education to get on track for a good job and career,” said America Achieves Executive Chairman Jon Schnur. “This fellowship helps equip Louisiana students for successful careers by building bridges between local educators and employers and between education and work.”
“The professionals chosen for this Fellowship are among the most innovative and successful educators in Louisiana,” said Charlie Cummings, Senior Director of Educator Voice Fellowships at America Achieves. “This is a unique opportunity for State leaders in government, higher education, and industry to learn from them, and also to help them learn more about what their students need to be successful during and after high school.”
More information about the Fellowship and the 24 educators who have been selected for this initiative can be found here.
ABOUT AMERICA ACHIEVES
America Achieves’ mission is to create clear pathways for economic advancement, civic engagement, and success for all in a rapidly changing economy. We work with educators, employers, and other leaders across sectors to build bridges between education and success in work and life. With partners, we create proof points of systemic change and success and build, use, and communicate an evidence base of what works.