Laura Fridirici

As the Career Readiness Advisor for the Pennsylvania Department of Education and Special Consultant to the Secretary, I am focused on expanding career and workforce readiness as the vehicle to launch new and existing career pathways and partners, aligned to workforce needs. A Southwestern PA native and graduate of IUP, I value the ecosystem and "neighborhood" approach to remaking learning which happens everywhere, with all of our "neighbors." Remake Learning Days has aligned with PDE's career readiness initiative, culminating with the Career Ready PA Backpack Challenge, as students collect digital artifacts after their RLD events for their career portfolio, aligned to the Future Ready PA Index federal indicators. Employability skills and hands-on learning go "hand in hand" and prepare our learners for success in their careers and in their lives.