Lt. Gov. Diane Denish (Photo by Heath Haussamen
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Diane Denish unveiled on Monday a detailed plan aimed at making New Mexico’s workforce more competitive by improving education, with the centerpiece being community college scholarships.
“If we are ever going to create a modern 21st Century economy in New Mexico, we must develop a workforce capable of taking on the high-tech and green jobs of today and tomorrow,” Denish said in a news release. “This is about empowering New Mexicans to get the skills they need to get the types of jobs that will allow them to create a better life for their families.”
You can read the full plan here. Among the highlights:
• Creating a community college scholarship to allow recent high school graduates the opportunity to get training in one of eight “high-demand” career areas: health and biosciences; business services; communications and information; arts and entertainment; energy and environmental technology; engineering, construction and manufacturing; hospitality and tourism; and education. The scholarship would cover the first semester until the Lottery Scholarship kicks in.
• Using federal workforce training funds to create a community college and labor apprenticeship program targeting adults who lost their jobs in the previous two years and are still unemployed. The program would help pay costs for education or training in one of the eight high-demand areas outlined above.
• Expanding the availability of online, distance-learning workforce education programs and tailoring those programs to the eight high-demand career areas.
• Rather than having students run out the clock, refocusing the senior year of high school so it’s used to take college credits, have internships or focus on developing marketable skills or trades.
• Expanding advanced-placement opportunities to include middle-school preparatory work for AP high school courses and appropriate professional development training for teachers.
• Collaborating with business and philanthropic communities to create increased apprenticeship, service learning and intern opportunities to provide more students with real-world experience.
GOP Chairman Harvey Yates Jr. called Denish’s plan “too little too late.”
“Today Diane Denish acts as the empress with a new set of clothes to mask her failed record on education and the economy,” he said in a news release. “In October of 2003, Ms. Denish stated regarding education in the state: ‘The voters clearly told us they want reform and they clearly told us to be prudent with their money. Failure is not an option. We will not fail the voters. We will not fail our children.’ However, after more than seven years in office, the Richardson/Denish administration has only dismal educational rankings to show for its efforts.”