It’s March Madness. If your office is anything like Nebraska Appleseed’s, the intense water cooler conversations have begun.
Competition can bring out the best in us. It can push us to stretch our boundaries, find new ways to get things done, and do our best.
It’s time for Nebraska to educate and innovate to compete. LB 1079 is currently under debate in the Nebraska Legislature. This bill would restructure our adult education and community college systems to create a more competitive workforce.
This bill would create pilot “bridge” programs. These programs would accelerate degree attainment for adult learners. In the traditional system, students need to complete adult education, english as a second language, and/or remedial education courses before they begin pursuing a degree. This can take a long time. In a bridge program adults could take these basic courses at the same time as credit bearing courses towards high-demand degrees, like nursing. Adults would also receive supportive services, like career coaching, in order to succeed. Check out a visual representation – click the graphic in the upper right.
Let’s face it: Nebraska must compete in a global economy. An economy that will be based on science, technology, and other knowledge based industries. We need to build our skilled workforce in order to win jobs. Let’s pass LB 1079.