From Ideas to Impact

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

April 20, 2026

Innovation in education policy and workforce readiness is happening in states, and notably in places where the business community is strategically involved in reform efforts. Outcomes in Mississippi — yes, you read that correctly — have improved significantly after the business community inserted itself into workforce readiness discussions.

At our Navigating Delaware Pathways summit next Tuesday, we’ll hear from reform leaders who have driven change in Maryland, Delaware, New York, and nationwide. Maryland, for example, is elevating career and technical education from a programmatic offering to a leading education strategy, aligned to economic priorities, student aspirations, and long-term workforce demand.

CareerWise USA in New York is also building a pipeline of skilled talent. Their three-year youth apprenticeship program combines an applied learning environment with high school coursework to integrate students into New York City’s growing industries — IT, health care, financial services, and business operations. We will also hear from representatives from Delaware Technical Community College and WestEd.

We’ll be introduced to these programs through our popular lightning-round presentations, first featured at our Developing Delaware conference, followed by breakout sessions that will offer a deeper dive into each model.

We’ll explore these and other important topics that connect educators at every level with employers and policymakers. Space is limited! Register here >

News You Can Use

Key economic indicators for the week begin Tuesday with retail sales and pending home sales for March and business inventories for February. Thursday brings us initial jobless claims data for mid-April, while on Friday we’ll see consumer sentiment for April.

Cleveland Cliffs, Alaska Air, Steel Dynamics, and Zions Bancorp lead off a busy week of earnings calls. Tuesday is led by 3M (Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing for anyone interested), D.R. Horton, Equifax, GE Aerospace, Haliburton, Tractor Supply Co., Capital One, Chubb, United Airlines, and others. Wednesday calls include AT&T, Boeing, Moody’s, Phillip Morris International, Tesla, Churchill Downs, CSX, Fulton Financial, Graco, IBM, Kinder Morgan, United Rentals, and more. American Airlines, American Express, Blackstone, CBRE Group, Dow, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, PG&E, PulteGroup, Sanofi, Union Pacific, Intel, WSFS Financial, Norfolk Southern, Procter & Gamble, and Western Union are among a long list that rounds out the week.

Michael J. Quaranta

President

Delaware State Chamber of Commerce

Delaware Technical Community College is an open-admission institution of higher education committed to Delawareans — supporting the success of their students, the local employers who hire their graduates, and their communities.

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