As automation and artificial intelligence continue to change the way all industries operate, students planning for college and careers face a unique challenge – securing educational opportunities that will serve them in a world where employment needs change faster than the time it takes to earn a post-secondary degree or job training. The Ready in the 603 video series, produced by Reaching Higher NH (RHNH), highlights how New Hampshire students are taking advantage of innovative opportunities to prepare themselves for college, careers, and service after graduation, and provides insight into this challenge.
The series is the result of hundreds of student interviews RHNH conducted across the state last spring to learn about the impact of programs such as Career Technical Education (CTE), Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO), Running Start, and others. Reaching Higher NH took what they heard and identified the common threads to produce the series.
The series is featured as part of their Ready in the 603 contest, www.reachinghighernh.org/readyingthe603/, where viewers are encouraged to vote for the video that they find most compelling and share what programs they would like to see more in their schools. Participation in the project helps Reaching Higher NH continue their work in telling the stories in NH public education from the student perspective.
“Many of the stories we heard were so inspiring, we found ourselves watching the videos over and over,” said Robin deAlmeida, Marketing Communications Director, Reaching Higher NH. “It was an amazing opportunity to listen to, and learn from, the young people we are working daily to support.”
The videos bring to light important opportunities for students in NH. Families should know how these programs can take learning to the next level. In some cases, high school students earn up to 20 college credits and professional certifications through programs like those featured in the video series.
Many of the students interviewed shed light on the evolution of CTE. What was once exclusively a vocational program now covers high demand careers such as engineering, biotech, and business.
“These are rigorous academic models where students apply what they learn in the field,” said deAlmedia. “Post-secondary education is expensive and highly competitive–we all know this. Having high school students in the field before graduation empowers them to make informed decisions about their future, allows them to establish mentors, and provides them with a competitive advantage in pursing whatever they want after high school. These programs are for every student, from the ones that excel in the classroom to the ones that learn better in a hands-on environment. These are deep and meaningful learning experiences.”
Reaching Higher NH’s mission is to foster support for high quality public education, giving all New Hampshire children the opportunity to prepare for college, for immediate careers, and for the challenges and opportunities of life in 21st Century New Hampshire. Learn more at www.reachinghighernh.org