U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Rural Outreach to Discuss Skills Gap and College Affordability at National Student Organization's Annual Meeting in Orlando

The U.S. Department of Education's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Rural Outreach, John White, will discuss college affordability and the skills gap in Florida during his visit to Orlando on Monday, July 9 to deliver remarks at the opening session of the Family, Career and Community Leaders of American (FCCLA) National Leadership Conference. He will also discuss the Obama Administration's investments in community colleges and the critical roles they play in connecting education and the economy in rural areas.

According to research, 59 percent of all jobs in Florida will require some postsecondary training beyond high school in 2012. New jobs created in Florida between 2008 and 2018 that require postsecondary education and training are expected to grow by 679,000, while half as many new jobs will be available for high school graduates and dropouts.

The FCCLA is a national student organization that helps young men and women become leaders and address important personal, family, work, and societal issues through family and consumer sciences-education. FCCLA has more than 190,000 members and over 6,500 chapters from 50 state associations, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The organization has involved more than 10 million youth since its founding in 1945.