Issue: School systems should create career paths that produce competent, marketable citizens with skills that allow them to be productive members of society.

Solutions: 

• Schools are not using all the resources available to them, and many in rural areas need assistance in accessing federal funds, programs, and opportunities to educate families out of generational poverty.  A zip code should not determine the quality of education available.
• Local businesses, industries, military installations, and government agencies can play a big role in technical education and skills training partnerships.  By providing internships and hands-on training to high school students, businesses can greatly improve their workforce and lower labor costs.
• High school students should graduate with a technical certification that allows them to immediately enter the workforce upon graduation.
• Colleges and universities must also modernize their curricula to address critical workforce shortages throughout the nation.
• Life skills training, such as financial literacy and home economics, should also be included in school curricula.