Americans must give our children a choice of educational opportunities. I am a strong supporter of college education, but our children should have a wide range of post high school educational avenues in addition to a college education. We should include trade and technical school education as one of our national education priorities.

With the growth of technology and our commitment to international commerce, trade and technical training education is vital to our society. This type of specific vocational/technical education is indispensable to the expansion of career opportunities in the United States. While college and post-graduate programs are appropriate avenues for many students, many other students would benefit greatly from the opportunity to orient their education toward acquiring specialized technical or trade skills (e.g. automotive technician, electrician, computer programming and repair, or graphic arts). Technical and vocational careers are just as important - and in some instances vital - to the welfare of our society as are professional, white-collar careers. Technical and vocational careers also pay well.

I urge all of us to recognize the need for technician education in high school curricula, and for more colleges to have courses of study related to technological and trade school career choices. Our education agenda should include vocational education as an alternative for high school students.

In order for our students to receive opportunity, we must encourage schools to build partnerships with the private sector to prepare trade school oriented students for alternative career opportunities. The formation of school to job co-ops is beneficial because it will allow students to incorporate their technical training with real work experience. The name "vocational" should be replaced by a more positive name to help dispel the negativity usually associated with vocational education (e.g. technological/trade education). Vocational education is technical/trade education that focuses on the development of specific hands-on skills. And, we must work to create a positive awareness within the general public and among educators of technology and trade education. Our society needs to recognize trade education as a necessary component of our educational system.

Trade and technological education is a priority in our national education agenda. Our children need this choice, because only by giving them these opportunities will they be able to empower themselves.

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