 |
News Release |
|
|
| |
| Governor Signs NJBIA-Backed Bill Adding Technology Education to School Curriculum |
| News Release: May 5, 2003 |
| Contact: Steve Wilson, ext. 245 |
 |
 |
|
| |
NJBIA President Phil Kirschner praises the new technology education bill signed into law on May 5 as Governor James E. McGreevey listens in. |
|
|
|
Governor James E. McGreevey today signed into law legislation making technology education part of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards that all public school students must be taught.
The legislation, A-2169 (Conners, Conaway, Geist)/S-1531 (Turner, Martin), will help provide what all employers want-entry-level workers with the ability to think analytically and use technology to solve problems in the workplace.
At a bill signing ceremony in the Governor's office, NJBIA President Philip Kirschner |
| praised McGreevey's workforce development efforts.
“On behalf of the 20,000 member companies of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, I want to thank Governor McGreevey for recognizing the importance of technology education to New Jersey's students and our economy,” Kirschner said. “I also want to thank the sponsors of this legislation, Assemblymen Jack Conners, Herb Conaway and George Geist and Senators Shirley Turner and Bob Martin for all their hard work on this issue.”
"People are often surprised to learn that NJBIA has spent so much time pushing for an ‘education bill,'” Kirschner said. “But the fact is, education is an important business issue. Just last year, 67 percent of our members said they had difficulty finding skilled workers. We must make sure that people entering the workforce have the skills they need to fill the jobs that we have. That is exactly what this new law does.”
“Technology education is more than just learning how to use the latest software or operate new high-tech machinery,” Kirschner explained. "It teaches students |
|
how to think critically-how to use technology to solve problems. Talk to any employer, and they will tell you that they are looking for problem-solving skills in new workers.”
“We have been trying to get technology education included in the curriculum since 1995.
It has been talked about for |
|
 |
|
| At
the bill signing ceremony are (from
left to right) Libby Vinson, NJBIA
vice president for education; Governor
James E. McGreevey; NJBIA President
Philip Kirschner; and Elva Hone,
director of public affairs-Degussa
Corporation and chair of NJBIA's
Education Committee. |
|
| many years,” he said. “But Governor McGreevey, you did more than just talk-you took action. You understood the connection between education and the economy right away. And you have been a leader on workforce development issues. One of your first initiatives was a 21-point plan for education that emphasizes the importance of technology education.”
With more than 20,000 member companies, NJBIA is the largest state-level employer association in the nation. |
|
 |
Return to News Releases |
|
|
