How Houston-area high schools can help develop the workforce (Source: Houston Business Journal)
By Paul Takahashi
Workforce development has traditionally been the purview of community colleges, which partner with local business leaders to prepare students for various vocations.
However, high schools across Texas are increasingly looking to prepare students for the workforce. Today, a growing number of high school students graduate with not only a high school diploma but an associate’s degree or a certificate that will help them pursue college and career opportunities.
To that end, Manor ISD is embarking on a new school construction program to help prepare its students for careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Manor ISD voters passed an $86 million bond in 2016 to fund several major renovations and expansion projects within the district, which are expected to be completed by 2018.
The Manor ISD school board recently picked Houston-based LAN Inc. to manage the school building program, which will feature the expansion of Manor Senior High School and the district’s “New Tech” elementary and middle schools. After the expansion, Manor ISD will be one of the first districts in the nation to utilize technology from pre-kindergarten through senior year. Students use iPads and Dell computers to learn various subjects that can help in college and career, Avery said.
