Proclamation 5915

By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation

Over the years, our Nation has benefited greatly from persons who have developed their vocational and technical skills and used those skills in helping to build strong and vibrant communities. Today, America's industries and businesses are facing new challenges in a more competitive international environment, and to continue to prosper they must achieve a higher level of innovation and productivity than ever before. To assist in meeting this challenge, young people must have a firm foundation in the basic skills that will enable them to fill jobs that require advanced vocational and technical training.

Various studies have projected that the future job market will consist more and more of such technically intensive occupations. If our economy is to have a sufficient crop of candidates for these occupations, it must be able to rely upon a large and growing pool of trained vocational educators. Fortunately, there are dozens of State and national groups committed to quality education in vocational specialties, and these groups are attuned to economic trends and supportive of professional educators in the technical-vocational fields. General public awareness is important, too. During Vocational-Technical Education Week, all Americans can pause to consider the need for strong vocational education programs that enjoy the full support of our communities.

The Congress, by House Joint Resolution 572, has designated the period of November 28 through December 2, 1988, as "Vocational-Technical Education Week" and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this event.

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the period of November 28 through December 2, 1988, as Vocational-Technical Education Week, and I call upon the people of the United States to observe this event with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-third day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirteenth.

RONALD REAGAN

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 11:52 a.m., November 28, 1988]