Help young people connect with skills training Words: Steven Adams/Public/News/20120921134500-1.jpg" width="600" height="338" border="0" alt="It's important that we educate students and parents about the career opportunities." />It's important that we educate students and parents about the career opportunities."With 3 million jobs left unfilled in our country due to a mismatch of employer needs and workers' skills, it's important that we educate students and parents about the career opportunities available," according to Jan Bray, Executive Director of the 27,000 member Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE). CFA and the ACTE are running parallel contests to promote awareness of career and technical education options. You can help spread the word! Forward this note to students or teachers you know so they can enter these contests! The winners will featured in national publicity programs. CFA is inviting current career and technical education student teams to produce short videos that, in their own voice and style, tell their own stories about how they are benefiting from the programs in which they are enrolled. Some production funds are available for teams. Application deadline Nov. 2nd. Download CFA Contest Invitation ACTE has launched its sixth annual video public service announcement video contest for secondary and postsecondary CTE students. CTE students or teams are invited to use their video skills to promote CTE by creating a 29 second video incorporating the theme, "Career and Technical Education Works!". The first-place winner will receive a $750 cash prize. Videos must be submitted by October 30, 2012. ACTE Contest and Rules Announcement CFA fully endorses ACTE's 2013 CTE Month (February) which promotes career and technical education. This is a great national celebration of rewarding career options! "ACTE is excited to highlight the winners of the Center for America's "Inspiring by Example" video contest during CTE Month 2013 alongside the winners of the CTE Month PSA Contest," says Jan Bray, Executive Director of ACTE. "Both video contests are great opportunities for CTE students to share their stories and perspectives on how career and technical education works for their lives and communities."