Parents, and, in many cases, high school teachers, have traditionally judged themselves to be successful mentors if their children or students decide to pursue a college education. It's not so important what they study, but that they go to college and, if possible, on to a white collar career.

A few years ago the Department of Education's Commission for Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) provided reason to question that logic. The Commission asked employers to identify the skills that young people need to succeed in the world of work. The response indicated that a high-performance workforce requires workers who have a solid foundation of basic skills and competencies, who know how to think and reason and how to use information and technology.

Last year President Clinton signed the School-To-Work Opportunities Act, establishing partnerships between business and education as the driving force in educational reform. Shortly afterward, WNET launched the "What's Up In Factories?" curriculum and program, which has reached thousands of teachers and students with messages about the importance of manufacturing and its potential as a career path.

"What's Up In Factories?" reflects a growing trend nationwide. Businesses in many states today are partnering with schools to provide part- time jobs, internships and apprenticeships for students as well as job shadowing opportunities for teachers and students.

The goal of such programs and the national School-To-Work initiative is to ultimately influence and restructure an educational system that prepares students to pursue a career immediately after high school, including pursuing additional education, if appropriate.

Without a fundamental change in curricula, high schools will continue to emphasize only preparing students for college. Unfortunately, 75 percent of students never make it there. The school-to-work initiative, on the other hand, can help keep the United States a major player in the global economy. Schools or businesses interested in entering into a school-to-work partnership can contact their area or state Chambers of Commerce and/or Boards of Education.