United Way of Central Alabama’s (UWCA) inCommunity program has officially launched its partnership with Jasper City Schools, working to ensure student success and family stability.
A recent event in collaboration with community partners focused on career readiness and workforce development for Jasper High School seniors.
The Life Skills 101 event took place on Friday, April 10th at Bevill State Community College and began in the Glen Clem Gymnasium with remarks from stakeholders.
“When I graduated high school in 1999, many of my classmates talked about getting out of this community,” said Jonathan Allen, Assistant Superintendent, Jasper City Schools. “Today, the conversation is more hopeful – industry is surrounding us, and we are positioned in Jasper along the corridor of opportunity. Thanks to our community partners, this is a place you can be trained to go out into the world and hopefully come back to one day.”
Graduating seniors then rotated in groups through sessions where community partners shared important life skills promoting career readiness and workforce development.
Sessions focused on areas including:
- Mental and physical health.
- Vehicle maintenance.
- Community service and engagement.
- Workforce simulations.
- College and career readiness.
- Business and local economy.
- Finance and credit-building.
A Roadmap for the Future
Mitzi Jones of Alabama Power shared information on career pathways available to the students ranging from entry-level line workers to engineers and system operators, including opportunities for continuing education. Jones encouraged the students to seek out internships and cooperative education opportunities, sharing advice for their first job interviews.
“Job interviews can be nerve-wracking,” said Jones. “But experience through internships and co-ops can put you ahead of the person next to you.”
Representatives of Bevill State Community College shared Career and Technical Education pathways available to the students in the areas of manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, construction, energy and technology. Classes are offered in a range of subjects from cosmetology and nursing to welding and computer science.
“It is inevitable that things are going to change,” said Shawn Morgan, Vice President of Workforce and Strategic Initiatives at Bevill State. “If your plan doesn’t turn out the way you thought it would, learning a skill makes you instantly employable.”
The Journey Ahead
Andrew Brasfield, Director of Marketing and Community Engagement at Bevill State, also shared college and career readiness advice with the students.
“Your dream role may look a lot different once you are in it,” he said. “Be proactive about seeking out the next steps in your journey.”
The Walker Area Community Foundation staged a simulation for the students, allowing them to review hypothetical grant proposals and participate in a funding exercise, while HARTT Counseling and Wellness educated students on available mental health resources and led them through a relaxation exercise to calm stress.
UWCA’s inCommunity program brings together families, school leaders and partners from across United Way’s network to make vital services easily accessible to local residents and create lasting solutions to big problems.
To learn more about how UWCA supports Walker County, click here.