“I want to thank JPMorgan Chase, the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and Advance CTE, for this grant opportunity,” said Spearman.  “We will use this grant to implement the South Carolina Youth Education and Skills (SCYES) Initiative, a six-month project that will build on statewide workforce development initiatives to ensure an industry-driven college- and career-readiness system.  This funding will enable us to develop an action plan to better align education and industry needs, so students can make a smooth transition from the classroom into the workforce and achieve success.  This will be a win-win for students, families, and local businesses across South Carolina,” concluded Spearman.

South Carolina is among 24 states and the District of Columbia that secured grants for this work through phase one of the New Skills for Youth grant opportunity.   The grants are one piece of a $75 million, five-year initiative developed by JPMorgan Chase, in partnership with the CCSSO and Advance CTE, aimed at increasing economic opportunity for young people by strengthening career-focused education, beginning in high school and ending with postsecondary degrees or credentials aligned with business needs.

Through phase one of New Skills for Youth, South Carolina and other selected states will each receive a $100,000 six-month grant, in addition to expert technical assistance and peer support from other grantees, to perform a diagnostic assessment of its career preparation system and prepare for implementation of a new action plan.  A total of 44 states applied in phase one and only 25 were selected with planning grants of $100,000 each.  Phase two implementation grants for 10-15 states, will be awarded in the fall.  Only states selected in the first phase are eligible to apply for phase two. 

“States across the country are adjusting their career readiness programs to ensure they adequately prepare students for their next step after graduation,” said Chris Minnich, CCSSO executive director.  “States have seized this grant opportunity to pursue bold plans for pathways that will put kids on a course for success after high school and beyond.”

“We must address the youth career crisis, and it starts in our schools,” said Chauncy Lennon, Head of Workforce Initiatives, JPMorgan Chase.  “These grants kick start an effort to ensure career and technical education systems are better aligned with the needs of business and leaders throughout states that are committed to promoting youth employment.”

An independent advisory committee recommended phase one grant recipients after a rigorous review process that considered states’ proposed plans, cross-sector partnerships, and demonstrated commitment and capacity to transform their systems of career preparation according to the grant guidelines.  In the judgment of the advisory committee, South Carolina showed promise in its career readiness plans and indicated strongly that this work is a priority.

South Carolina, and the other phase one planning grant states, will be eligible to apply for the phase two grant opportunity, which will require states to demonstrate the commitment and capacity to execute the action plans developed in phase one.

This grant opportunity builds on CCSSO’s Career Readiness Initiative, launched in 2015, to help close the skills gap in this country.  The goal is to ensure that students are not only college-ready, but that all children also graduate from high school prepared for careers.

CCSSO’s work has been guided by the recommendations made in Opportunities and Options, a report of CCSSO’s Career Readiness Task Force.

The report encourages states to make high school programs more responsive to the labor market by enlisting the employer community as a lead partner; significantly raise the threshold for quality career pathways in secondary schools; and make career preparation matter to schools and students, in part by expanding accountability systems to emphasize career readiness.

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