Apr. 17, 2018
HARRISBURG – The state House passed legislation authored by Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-Berks/Lehigh) that would establish a program known as “CareerBound” to prepare students for today’s most in-demand jobs.
CareerBound is an innovative workforce development initiative that would permit trade groups, businesses, and institutions of higher learning to partner with middle and high schools to offer students exposure to careers in high-priority fields.
“The path to career success continues to change and with it so should our approach,” said Mackenzie. “Today’s youth want a career they can enjoy, but they also want one in which they can get a job upon graduation. To date, our academic institutions haven’t done the best job at enlightening students about the most in-demand occupations in our state and country today. CareerBound would help correct that by introducing students to the fields that are looking to hire and then providing them with the path to receive training and education for that particular profession.”
The joint ventures authorized by CareerBound would provide students early exposure to an array of career opportunities, including career expos, job shadowing, internships, and other career-education integration initiatives.
The pilot programs approved for participation in CareerBound would be eligible to compete for more than $10 million in funding that would be generated through the one-time issuance of tax credits for contributing businesses. This tax credit would be modeled on the successful Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC), which encourages businesses to invest in schools and scholarship programs for the purpose of enhancing academic achievement. Contributing businesses that participate in the program would be eligible for a 90 percent return on contributions; all other taxpayers that contribute would be eligible for a 75 percent return.
“In order to help address our unemployment struggles and attract new businesses to the Commonwealth, we have to adequately prepare our workforce. CareerBound does just that by introducing students to available employment opportunities early on in their academic careers,” said Mackenzie. “This is now the third session in which I have introduced this legislation and I am hopeful we can get it across the finish line this time.”
House Bill 25 now goes to the Senate for consideration.
Representative Ryan Mackenzie
134th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Tricia Lehman
717.772.9840
tlehman@pahousegop.com
RepMackenzie.com /
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