CREATING A SYSTEMS APPROACH

The Delaware State Chamber of Commerce’s workforce development affiliate, The Partnership, hosted "Navigating Delaware Pathways: An Education and Workforce Development Summit" earlier this week.

Held in partnership with the Delaware Department of Education, Rodel, United Way of Delaware, Delaware Technical Community College, Delaware Workforce Development Board, the Office of Work-Based Learning and Delaware SHRM, this sold-out event aimed to bring together educators, higher education professionals, and employers to explore the connection between education and the private sector in Delaware.

The summit opened with remarks from Delaware State Chamber President Mike Quaranta and Delaware Technical Community College President Dr. Mark Brainard, who hosted the event at the Del-One Conference Center on Delaware Tech’s Terry Campus in Dover.

“Building the workforce of tomorrow that matches the interests of students with the needs of employers takes a coordinated effort by everyone in this room, including our partners in K-12 education, higher education, workforce training programs, employers, state departments, and elected officials,” emphasized Quaranta in his opening remarks. “We need all these groups working together to create a systems approach that supports students and adults to gain access to the good jobs of today and tomorrow.”

The first keynote presentation of the day was a fireside chat between Paul Herdman, president and CEO of Rodel, Kimberly Hamill, president of Delaware Society for Human Resource Professionals (SHRM), and Secretary of Education Mark Holodick. The trio delved into the challenges and synergies between education and the workforce in Delaware. From aligning curricula with industry needs to fostering dynamic partnerships, they explored several strategies for preparing students for the modern workforce. “I think a sustainable relationship that is developed between a student and an employer can become a great opportunity for both parties,” said Secretary Holodick.

After a brief strategic networking session, attendees had the opportunity to head into two rounds of breakout sessions. These breakouts had two tracks for attendees to choose from: employer and education. Topics included “Delaware Pathways: What it is and where we are headed,” “Employer Engagement in Delaware Pathways,” “Apprenticeships Unveiled,” and more.
​
The 2024 Superstars in Education and Training were honored during a lunchtime ceremony. The winners included:

• Delaware Skills Center’s Electrical Training Program | Independent Training and Certificate Provider
• John S. Charlton School’s Roads to Success Program | Higher Education Program
• Brandywine School District’s Empathetic Engineering Program | High School Program

Awards of excellence were also given to M. Davis & Sons, Beebe Healthcare, and William Penn High School.
During the ceremony, New Castle County Councilman Jea Street was awarded with the John H. Taylor, Jr. Leadership Education award for his commitment, leadership, guidance, and contributions to the education system in Delaware.

“The impact and legacy of Jea’s work and his enduring perseverance can be witnessed by the hundreds of thousands of Delaware’s youths – particularly Wilmington’s youth – who have received or are receiving access to quality education and support in our schools and community today,” said Rick Deadwyler, U.S. Eastern Region director for government & industry affairs at Corteva Agriscience, who was bussed to summer camp at Hilltop Lutheran Community Center by Street when he was a child.

The day concluded with a second keynote conversation between Stephen Pruitt, president of the Southern Regional Education Board, Luke Rhine, deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Education, and moderated by Mike Quaranta. This session explored the intersection of education and workforce development from a national perspective, with a focus on identifying key skills, successful statewide initiatives, and alternative pathways to prepare individuals for future careers. “As long as we operate as ‘me vs. we,’ we’ll continue to have islands of excellence and not SYSTEMS of excellence,” summarized Pruitt.
​
The sold-out summit proved to be a valuable platform for 300 educators, employers, and other stakeholders to collaborate on building a future-proof workforce. From insightful keynote conversations to focused breakout sessions and award recognitions, the gathering emphasized the importance of a coordinated effort across all sectors to ensure educational pathways align with the needs of Delaware's businesses to prepare students for success in the ever-evolving job market. The Delaware State Chamber of Commerce, along with all of our Pathways partners, is proud to have helped spearhead this effort.