Riordan to speak on technical education

"From High School to Workforce, The Neglected Path" will be the basis for discussion when Secretary of Education Richard Riordan takes the podium as keynote speaker at an informational luncheon on Thurs., April 28 at the Courtyard by Marriott, 600 E. Esplanade Drive, Oxnard. The Economic Development Corporation of Oxnard (EDCO) in cooperation with the Ventura County Workforce Investment Board and the Ventura County Civic Alliance is presenting the discussion.

Check-in begins at 11:30 a.m. The luncheon and program get underway at noon. The fee is $50 and advance registration is required by calling (805) 385-7444 or registering online at www.edco.us<http://www.edco.us/>.

"Currently there is a need for greater attention to technical training options at the high school level in preparation for the professional world," said Steven Kinney, president of EDCO. "Manufacturers here at home are having great difficulty finding young people entering the workforce with (knowledge of) fundamental technical skills so that they can get further onsite training for specific job requirements."

Riordan’s presentation will address today’s focus of the high school curriculum on the goal of a four-year college education. With vocational and technical education getting the short shrift, Riordan will offer insight into current and planned policies at the state level that can influence a more appropriate and practical teen curriculum policy. The discussion will also include a question-and-answer period.