PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia’s Career and Technical Education programs have added a new skill to the curriculum.
Philadelphia’s CTE students earn some 3,000 industry certifications a year, but Superintendent Tony Watlington says many have been missing an important credential for employment: a driver’s license.
Philadelphia public school students face extra hurdles in getting a driver’s license. More than 1/4 of city households don’t have a car, and busy streets can be intimidating for learners.
The pilot driver’s education program aims to remedy that.
“This program provides highly-qualified, certified students the opportunity to have access, making sure that they are qualified to drive themselves to and from work and to operate machinery, which is a requirement for a number of jobs,” he said.
The school district reports 75 students have already completed the instruction program, and 50 have scheduled the written test for their learner's permit — a few have already passed and are driving with supervision.
But education advocate Horace Clouden says the program is too small.
“Just imagine being in that same high school but not in a CTE program and wanting to apply. What would the response be to that student?”
Clouden wants any student to be able to access the program, but the district does not have the funding. The program for CTE students is being funded by a group of employers led by the Bellwether District, which includes HRP Real Estate, Clayco developers, ARCO design-build and the General Building Contractors Association.