When I served on the Virginia Board of Education, we engaged in many thoughtful discussions about what skills, experiences, and attributes our students needed to be successful in college and/or the work force. As we developed Virginia’s Profile of a Graduate, we wanted to establish multiple career pathways for our students with a focus on critical thinking, communication, citizenship, creative thinking, and collaboration.
From Progress Report on the Board of Education’s Development of a Profile of a Virginia Graduate
Virginia places a high priority on preparing students for career clusters. These clusters are essential to identifying pathways from secondary to post-secondary education. Career clusters help to align work place readiness and academic skills. These clusters also provide access to multiple career pathways and exciting opportunities within the pathways.
During the Virginia Summit for College and Career Readiness this month, we were excited to learn about the innovative strategies that school districts are utilizing to support students’ interest and engagement in a variety of career pathways.
For example, Hampton City Schools has established academies to link academic courses to college career sectors. These academies provide students with an opportunity to explore different pathways supported by business and industry partners. The Academies of Hampton introduce students to a dynamic learning environment integrating industry knowledge to prepare students with the 21st century workplace skills needed to succeed in a global economy.
It is so exciting to see inspiring examples of how districts are meeting and exceeding Virginia’s Profile of a Graduate by forming innovative business partnerships to transform the traditional high school experience.
We look forward to seeing additional examples of innovative education and business partnerships at The Strategies Xchange on July 25-26 at the Hilton The Main Hotel in Norfolk, Virginia. This is a revolutionary event that we are hosting to bring together educators and business leaders to explore and learn creative
solutions to promote the growth of Virginia’s talent pipeline through exciting career pathways. We still have sessions open for presenters wishing to highlight innovative education-business partnerships. There is also room for a few more exhibitors wishing to engage directly with hundreds of prospective clients while promoting products and services for schools and businesses. Just want to attend the conference and leave with some wonderful resources? Register today and reserve your spot.
Antoinette Jenkins
Leah Williams-Rumbley
Zuzana Steen
Beth Rhinehart 
Kristie Proctor
Deborah Jonas
Andy Gail 
