Connecting Small Businesses with Career and Technical Education Graduates Act
This bill, introduced in the Senate as S. 1048, would amend the Small Business Act to explicitly connect graduates of career and technical education (CTE) programs with the activities of Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) and Women’s Business Centers (WBCs). It defines CTE by referencing the Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, ensuring alignment with existing federal definitions. The core changes authorize SBDCs to assist small businesses in hiring CTE graduates and in starting up new small businesses with CTE graduates in mind. Similarly, WBCs would be empowered to provide these hiring and startup assistances for CTE graduates. The overall goal is to strengthen pathways from CTE programs into entrepreneurship and employment, leveraging federal small business support networks. Potential impacts include expanded opportunities for CTE graduates to enter the workforce or start businesses, greater demand on SBDCs and WBCs to deliver these services, and a need for program guidance and partner coordination. The bill does not specify new funding, so implementation would depend on existing appropriations and any future funding decisions, along with any required program guidance to operationalize the new authorities.
Key Points
- 1Definition of CTE: The bill adds a definition of “career and technical education” that mirrors the meaning in the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006.
- 2SBDCs: Amends Small Business Act Section 21(c)(3) to add two new authorities:
- 3- (W) Assisting small business concerns in hiring graduates from CTE programs.
- 4- (X) Assisting graduates of CTE programs in starting up a small business.
- 5WBCs: Amends Small Business Act Section 29(b) to add two new authorities:
- 6- (4) Providing assistance for small business concerns to hire CTE graduates.
- 7- (5) Providing assistance for CTE graduates to start up a small business.
- 8Alignment with Perkins Act: The bill ties federal entrepreneurial and employment supports for small business to the official CTE framework used by the Perkins Act.
- 9Funding and implementation: The text does not authorize new appropriations; implementation would rely on existing funding and potential administrative guidance to SBDCs and WBCs.