Career Ready Connections

Looking for new opportunities for your students? Please check out the Career Ready PA Coalition webpage. Students and families will find career awareness opportunities to experience with one of our many stakeholders!

Career Ready PA regional liaisons are here to support you with training and resources. If you don't know your region, you can use the Career Ready PA 10-region map.

• Resources are available at SAS for Career Readiness.
• Join our Career Readiness Learning Community. (PDE SAS login is required.)
• Career Ready PA is PDE’s source for guidance and resources.

On February 20, 2025, we welcomed Abington School District and shared their “Graduating Students Through Work-Based Learning Pathways,” best practice demonstrating how a strategic approach to the Evidence-Based pathway supports students’ career awareness. Also, Lil’ Filmmakers in Philadelphia, shared “From Soft Skills to Success: How Social Emotional Learning Fuels Professional & Creative Growth.” By providing a career pathways framework integrating social-emotional skills with traditional workplace skills, students are empowered to build a pipeline to success in the film and media arts industry. We look forward to learning about “Bringing Agriculture to Your Classroom” (more about this opportunity in the newsletter) and “Open Field” and its approach to utilizing a high school soccer league to promote career readiness and opportunities to explore postsecondary education options for immigrant and refugee populations.

In November, the Career Ready PA Coalition held three virtual forums highlighting best practices in each of the 10 Career Ready PA regions. Over 400 educators attended the sessions, which also included PDE updates from Brian Campbell, Director of Curriculum, Assessment and Instruction, Laura Fridirici, Career Readiness Advisor, and Karen Rubican, School Counselor Advisor. Each of the Career Ready PA liaisons facilitated a stakeholder session with best practices from education, workforce, and community organizations at each session.

Each session also prioritizes updates in education and workforce. We look forward to hearing more best practices through June 2025. Access to the presentations and recorded sessions can be located at the Google Share link.

Webinars continue to be offered and recordings are posted on the Career Ready PA Coalition website. Career and workforce readiness are integral to developing equitable access to career pathways for all Pennsylvania learners, through effective workforce training, aligned to workforce needs and departmental career readiness initiatives. Follow #CareerReadyPA to stay connected!

Remake Learning Days Across America is an innovative learning festival for families and youth! Taking root in regions across the nation, these hands-on and engaging events are designed for kids of all ages at libraries, schools, tech centers, museums, play spaces, community centers and more. Once again, PDE will elevate these events through the Career Ready PA Backpack Challenge. Students will have an opportunity to earn a digital badge for their career portfolio by participating in events tagged with a “Career Ready PA Backpack Challenge” backpack. Schools can register for the Backpack Challenge at the registration application link.

Once registered, please follow the steps to participate in events and earn a digital badge. Schools with more than 100 badges may earn a banner !

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity! Register now!

The Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is announcing an Innovations Challenge which is a statewide competition that challenges teams of students in 9th through 12th grade to use their problem-solving, creative, and strategic-thinking abilities to solve real-world lifesaving challenges. Winners will be selected by members of the Organ Donation Advisory Committee (ODAC).

Your Challenge: Create a Public Service Announcement (PSA).

Your Message: Parents never want to be in the position to decide whether to donate your organs. Make it easy on your parents. Explain why being an organ donor is crucial and why you are going to designate yourself.

Your Award: The statewide winning team will be awarded $3,000. The winning team members will receive certificates as well as their school receiving a traveling trophy and permanent trophy engraved with the school's name. The team will also be invited to attend the Annual OTDA Spring Conference in State College in May 2025.

Project & Submission Guidelines

· Students must work together in teams (minimum of two up to a maximum of four individuals) to develop their innovative video that addresses the challenge of convincing peers and/or adults to become organ and tissue donors.

· All videos must be written, directed, and filmed by team members.

· The video is to be between 30 and 90 seconds in length.

· The submissions will be reviewed by select ODAC members, and the top three teams will be invited to present their video to a team of judges from the PDE.

The challenge is open to Pennsylvania high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors in public, private or charter schools.

Note: PDE employees and their family members (siblings, children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews) are ineligible to enter. Statewide judging events may be held in person or virtually.

Deadline Submissions must be received by Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 by 11:59 PM April 18, 2024.

Learn more at: info.iu13.org/OTDA-challenge

2025 Innovations Challenge Flyer.pdf

Millersville University received a grant from the PA Department of Agriculture to run the Farm in the Classroom competition for a second year. This competition is for K-12 students. Middle and high school competitors can submit design plans for a hydroponic or aquaponic system. Winners in each of the three levels will receive up to $2000 (depending on level category) to build the system. The winning elementary competitor will receive an aquaponics system from our partner, INTAG Aquaponics (valued at $3,000). Some students and mentors will also be invited to Millersville University for a day to visit/tour our program, hear an expert guest speaker, enjoy lunch, and learn more.

Applications will be accepted until November 21, 2025. Don’t wait!

We welcome our new Acting Secretary, Dr. Carrie Rowe! A visionary leader in public education, Dr. Carrie Rowe brings 25 years of public education experience to her role as Acting Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Before taking a position with the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Dr. Rowe served as a Superintendent of Schools in the western region of the state. Both as a former Superintendent and now as the Acting Secretary, her career has focused on ensuring fairness and justice in resource allocation and eliminating institutional barriers to access and opportunity. To learn more, please visit the Dr. Carrie Rowe | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania .

Innovative College Prep provides resources to help students navigate the college admissions process. From application strategies to financial aid guidance, our site offers practical tools to support students grades 9-12. We also offer a free eBook with valuable insights to help students strengthen their applications and explore their college options. Get the guidance you need for college admissions—sign up for free at www.innovativecollegeprep.com and start accessing expert resources today!

Website: www.aiu3.net/CareerReadyPA