Talented high schoolers, skilled tradespeople: Inside Robert Morgan schools – NBC 6 South Florida

Report on Robert Morgan Educational Center’s Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Advancing SDG 4: Quality Education

Robert Morgan Educational Center and Technical College is actively contributing to Sustainable Development Goal 4 by ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities. The institution’s unique model addresses key targets within this goal:

• Inclusive Access: As one of only two public schools in Miami-Dade County with an integrated high school and on-site technical college, it provides accessible vocational training to both high school students and adult learners.
• Relevant Skills for Employment: The institution directly addresses SDG Target 4.4, which aims to increase the number of youths and adults with relevant skills for employment and decent jobs. It offers 22 magnet programs and specialized trade training.
• Hands-On Learning: Students gain practical, hands-on experience, preparing them for the workforce and ensuring their education is directly applicable to industry needs.

Fostering SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

The school’s curriculum and partnerships are strategically aligned with SDG 8, promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.

1. Addressing Labor Market Shortages: By training technicians, welders, mechanics, and plumbers, the center directly responds to the growing demand for skilled trade professionals, mitigating labor shortages and supporting local economic stability.
2. Facilitating Job Placement: The institution cultivates strong community and business partnerships to assist students with job placement, ensuring a smooth transition from education to productive employment.
3. Promoting Financial Accessibility: The emphasis on trade education as an alternative to traditional four-year degrees that often require student loans contributes to the financial well-being of graduates, allowing them to enter the workforce without significant debt.

Supporting Broader Sustainable Development Objectives

The impact of Robert Morgan Educational Center extends beyond education and employment, contributing to a wider range of sustainable development priorities.

• SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure): The skilled trades taught at the center are fundamental to building and maintaining resilient infrastructure, fostering sustainable industrialization, and supporting innovation.
• SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): By providing a clear and affordable pathway to skilled, in-demand employment, the institution empowers individuals and helps reduce poverty and economic inequalities within the community.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): A well-trained local workforce in essential trades is critical for the maintenance and development of safe, resilient, and sustainable urban environments.

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The article focuses on Robert Morgan Senior High School and Technical College, an educational institution providing quality learning opportunities. It highlights the school’s “A-rated” status and its 22 magnet programs, emphasizing its role in offering both high school education and technical training.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The core issue discussed is the high demand for trade jobs and the shortage of skilled workers. The school directly addresses this by training students in specific trades like H-VAC, welding, and plumbing, preparing them for employment and contributing to economic growth by filling critical labor gaps.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article mentions that the school’s instructors build relationships with the local community and businesses. This is a form of partnership aimed at achieving a common goal: successful job placement for students. The text states, “Our instructors actually make a lot of community partners, know the businesses in the area… and work with the students on job placement.”

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 4.4: Increase the number of youth and adults with relevant skills for employment.

  The article directly supports this target by describing how Robert Morgan Educational Center and Technical College provides students with “hands-on experience learning a skilled trade.” It explicitly mentions training for H-VAC technicians, welders, automotive mechanics, and plumbers to meet the growing demand for these jobs.

• Target 8.6: Reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training.

  The school’s mission is to train the “next generation” of skilled workers, providing a clear pathway from education to employment. By offering technical training alongside a high school diploma, it equips young people with in-demand skills, directly tackling the issue of youth who might otherwise not be in employment, education, or training (NEET).

• Target 17.17: Encourage effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.

  The school’s strategy for job placement exemplifies this target. The article notes that instructors establish “community partners” and work with “businesses in the area” to facilitate employment for their students. This public (school) and private (business) collaboration is crucial for achieving the educational and economic goals discussed.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for Target 4.4 (Implied): Number and variety of vocational programs offered.

  The article mentions that the high school offers “22 magnet programs” and the technical college provides training for trades such as “H-VAC technicians, welders, automotive mechanics, and plumbers.” The number and diversity of these programs serve as a direct measure of the school’s capacity to provide relevant skills.

• Indicator for Target 8.6 (Implied): Job placement rate of graduates.

  Progress towards reducing the number of youth not in employment can be measured by the success of job placement efforts. The article implies this indicator by stating that the school’s staff “work with the students on job placement,” suggesting that the rate of successful placements is a key metric of the program’s effectiveness.

• Indicator for Target 17.17 (Implied): Number of established community and business partnerships.

  The effectiveness of the school’s partnerships can be measured by the number of formal and informal relationships it has with local businesses. The article points to this by highlighting that instructors “make a lot of community partners,” which is a quantifiable measure of their partnership-building efforts.

4. SDGs, Targets and Indicators Table

Source: nbcmiami.com