Leaders from Peoria School District 150, Illinois Central College, the City and business groups gathered at City Hall Thursday to extend an agreement that connects students to careers.
The collaborative effort, Peoria Pathways to Prosperity, aims to give students who aren’t interested in college a chance to garner career training and exploration.
Interim Superintendent Sharon Kherat says the renewed agreement will further expand options for students:
“It’s about rigor, it’s about relevance. It’s about preparing our young people for the 21st century and also, positioning our city with a strong, robust workforce.”
Peoria Pathways to Prosperity was formed in June 2014. Since its inception, it received a $60,000 grant from the American Federation of Teachers and hired a full-time coordinator to work with schools and businesses.
“These are real middle class jobs that are available in our community and so the idea is to prepare a workforce that’s able to take on those jobs and do a great job," Kherat said.
Kherat says the renewed agreement will extend the range of options available, like more specialized courses in manufacturing and healthcare.