Pennsylvania Statutes Title 24 P.S. Education § 6250.1307. Interdepartmental cooperation

(i) Advise the department on the agriculture industry and agriculture education economic development strategies, programs and initiatives.

(ii) Facilitate agricultural industry clusters, to include production agriculture, at the State and local levels to ensure accurate representation of all sectors and inclusion of those fields typically categorized as self-employment.

(iii) Advise the department on career pathways available in the rural communities of this Commonwealth and nontraditional career pathways available to urban and disadvantaged students and citizens.

(iv) Work in collaboration with the department and the Department of Education to identify emerging career opportunities, including support in establishing career ladders and career pathways.

(v) Support initiatives to develop industry-recognized credentials and new credit-bearing programs in this Commonwealth's public and private postsecondary institutions, especially in critical occupations.

(i) Advise the department of its workforce and economic development strategies, programs and initiatives.

(ii) Align existing training programs with industry partnerships.

(iii) Make relevant business assistance programs available to industry partnerships.

(iv) Coordinate with the department on areas of business retention.

(v) Advise the department of its industry competitiveness programs and cluster strategies.

(i) Align training for inmates with industry clusters and high-priority occupations and annually review these training programs to assure that the training programs prepare individuals for high-priority occupations.

(ii) Align reentry programs to take advantage of information and career opportunities provided by industry partnerships.

(i) Work with the department to support career pathways.

(ii) Support innovative programs to address literacy, including English as a second language, and numeracy shortcomings, especially in those occupations which are critical to targeted industry clusters and which lead to postsecondary education and employment.

(iii) Collaborate with the department to develop programs and strategies to reduce barriers to adult education.

(iv) Coordinate career education initiatives in middle and high schools, especially in Project 720 schools and career and technical education programs.

(v) Support initiatives to develop industry- recognized credentials and new credit-bearing programs in this Commonwealth's public and private postsecondary institutions, especially in occupations critical to targeted industry clusters.

(vi) Work in collaboration with the department to determine education and skill gaps associated with targeted industry clusters.

(vii) Advise and assist high-school-based career and technical education programs to develop high-priority occupation programs.

(viii) Within two years following the effective date of this act, regulations may be promulgated by the Department of Education in consultation with career and technical school administrators. The regulations shall conform to career and technical schools' needs and assist to align their needs with employer demands. Incentives shall be included to increase alignment. Until this program and regulations are in effect, secondary career and technical schools and programs shall not be required to meet the requirements for high-priority occupations for program approval.

(i) Create and maintain innovative programs which connect qualified TANF clients with employment opportunities in the targeted industry clusters.

(ii) Support strategies to prepare TANF clients for success in postsecondary education and training programs.

(iii) Develop career education initiatives which provide TANF clients with information to guide their education and training plans.

(iv) Collect and share employment information with the department.