Education & Distance Learning Enthusiasts- Leading Companies Discuss Impact of Student Achievement Gaps on Tomorrow's Workforce; - US Secretary of Education Rod Paige addresses minority achievement

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Leading Companies Discuss Impact of Student Achievement Gaps on Tomorrow's Workforce; - US Secretary of Education Rod Paige addresses minority achievement

PR Newswire - September 23, 2004

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation today hosted a conference entitled "The Sky's the Limit: A New Perspective on Creating a Diverse Workforce," to address the student achievement gap in education and its potential impact on the workforce of tomorrow. The conference, co-sponsored by Pfizer, featured United States Secretary of Education Rod Paige; along with noted speakers across the corporate, education, and nonprofit arenas; and provided perspectives on the student achievement gap and successful diversity building.

More than 200 of New Jersey's senior business leaders, human resources vice presidents, and diversity managers were at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick, New Jersey, to learn how their companies could better support diversity in the workplace through improved student achievement.

"The commitment of so many of our businesses to build a more diverse workforce begins with what's happening in our schools today," said Dana Egreczky, president, Business Coalition for Educational Excellence. "And it's our schools that are the pipeline to the workforce. If we don't make an effort right now to narrow the achievement gap in education, our state and country will lose jobs and wealth."

That sentiment was echoed by the conference sponsor: "There's much that we can do to help prepare students for the workforce of tomorrow, said Joseph Bonito, vice president, Global Leadership and Effectiveness at Pfizer. "Today's conference brought to light the actions businesses and educators should take to make a difference."

"America's economic power is determined by many factors," said U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige. "But the most important is education. The quality of our educational system is directly responsible for our economic success. That's why No Child Left Behind is so important. It's working in schools across the country, including those in New Jersey."

Statistics indicate that the increasing gap in minority achievement is both a statewide and nationwide concern. According to a policy guide compiled by Jobs for the Future, a non-profit organization that works to strengthen society by creating educational and economic opportunity for those who need it most, and the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, workforce predictions show that by the year 2020, more than 84 percent of jobs will require college degrees. Based on current national data, 34 percent of whites earn a Bachelor's degree by age 29, while only 18 percent of African Americans and 9 percent of Hispanics do the same. If current demographic trends continue, this will result in 12 to 14 million jobs going unfilled and a loss of national wealth of $230 billion.

Notable presenters addressed themes of achievement gaps in education while focusing attention on the issue of strengthening tomorrow's workforce. Presenters included Joan Verplanck, president, New Jersey Chamber of Commerce; Hilary Pennington, chief executive officer, Jobs for the Future; Ross Wiener, policy director, Education Trust Foundation; Dana Egreczky, president, Business Coalition for Educational Excellence; and Mary O'Malley, vice president, Prudential Financial, Inc.

The half-day conference also featured a discussion panel of New Jersey- based companies that made FORTUNE's 2004 List of 50 Best Companies for Minorities. The companies represented were Prudential Financial, Inc., Merck, and Verizon. As part of this discussion, each company shared some of their highly effective practices in diversity hiring.

"This conference offers a truly unique opportunity for New Jersey's leading businesses to collaborate with counterparts from all over the state who are working on similar issues," said Joan Verplanck, president, New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. "We will all reap the benefits of a stronger economy when we support a diverse business environment."

Various job recruitment vendors were also on-hand offering information to individuals who work in human resources and diversity hiring. During a networking lunch, attendees were able to visit the different exhibitor booths to obtain information on how to hire qualified minority employees. Attendees came away with information on how to support K-12 education, in an effort to ultimately strengthen the workforce of tomorrow. This included various suggestions on how businesses can get involved in local school districts and support professional development for teachers.

The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation showcased information on one of its cornerstone programs called New Jersey Scholars. Based on research that shows a direct relationship between challenging high school courses and college completion rates, New Jersey Scholars promotes a more rigorous core course of study that emphasizes math, science, language arts, and social studies. The research, conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, has demonstrated that rigorous coursework in high school is the best predictor of college and workplace success. Students who complete Algebra II rather than stopping at geometry, for example, nearly double their chances of completing either a two- or four-year college degree.

The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation is committed to supporting programs that ensure that all students achieve at high levels, become productive citizens, and are well prepared to succeed in the workplace. The Foundation serves as the voice of business in the education policy debate, and supports programs that address the business agenda in education reform. The Foundation is guided by its accountability to the business community. Programs are supported by tax-deductible contributions made to the New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information please visit http://www.njchamber.com/.

CONTACT: Michael Schneider, +1-973-868-1000; or George Koodray, +1-973-919-9293, both for The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation

Web site: http://www.njchamber.com/

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