Hawaiʻi officials visit Washington D.C. for National Forum on Education Policy

Earlier this week, members of the Hawaiʻi State government attended the National Forum on Education Policy in Washington D.C. The three-day event, from July 10 through 12, brought together education policy leaders from all around the country to discuss and address pressing issues in state education policy.

In representing Hawaiʻi, State Senator Donovan Dela Cruz, Deputy Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism Dane Wicker, and Leeward Community College Chancellor Carlos Peñaloza collaborated to present “Connecting Workforce Development and Regional Strengths for Economic Prosperity.”

The three panelists shared with attendees how Hawaiʻi is leveraging regional advantages and creating pathways for workforce development to revitalize and grow the state’s economy.

Sen. Dela Cruz highlighted Central Oʻahu as a case study for how regional economic growth can be achieved through state-supported agriculture. Sen. Dela Cruz explained that “to achieve the goal of regional economic development, we are building the foundations that will make that vision possible. As a key foundation, workforce development at various levels is integral to preparing for, planning, and supporting economic growth and activity.”

Chancellor Peñaloza presented about the Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center (WVAPDC), a collaboration between Leeward Community College (Leeward CC) and the State of Hawaiʻi to support workforce development in the agriculture industry. “With the revitalization of industries, we need a strong, skilled workforce to meet job demand. I am so excited about the role that community colleges can play in providing educational programs to develop entrepreneurs who can thrive in, and support, an economic ecosystem,” he said.

These efforts to scale and grow agriculture in Central Oʻahu are part of a broader mission to make an economically sustainable Hawaiʻi. Deputy Director Wicker illustrated, “strengthening and diversifying the economy is key to the prosperity of future generations in Hawaiʻi. By investing in sectors with high growth potential, like value-added product development, and by investing in infrastructure, facilities, and equipment, we can establish and expand small businesses. This will not only diversify our local economy but also help reverse brain drain, ensuring an economically sustainable future for our state.”

With the insights of Sen. Dela Cruz, Deputy Director Wicker, and Chancellor Peñaloza, participants in D.C. got to hear about the exciting developments happening in the Aloha State.