Autauga Technology Center Gives Students First-Hand look at Occupations
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Not so long ago‚ high school vocational-technical education was designed for students who planned to enter the workforce right after graduation. But that old model is as old hat as the one-room schoolhouse‚ according to Chase Riddle‚ director of the Autauga County Technology Center.
“That’s completely changed – 180 degrees‚” Riddle says. “Most of our students go on to a post-secondary school‚ whether it’s a two-year or a four-year institution.”
As an example‚ Riddle says‚ most students in the Technology Center’s health technology program go on to earn a nursing degree.
With a separate campus adjacent to Prattville High School‚ the center is under the auspices of Autauga County Schools and is funded by local‚ state and federal money. Its 24 faculty members taught 1‚450 students by the end of the 2006-07 academic year‚ serving interested ninth through 12th graders across the county. Most are bused in each morning to spend one-fourth of their school day at the center.
“Several things can come out of attendance here‚” Riddle says. “Our students can gain entry-level skills to go directly to the workforce. They can also find out that ‘this is not what I want to do‚’ and it saves themselves and their parents a lot of money down the road.”
Programs include computer maintenance‚ electronics‚ business education‚ cosmetology‚ collision repair‚ automotive technology‚ occupational childcare and masonry. The center’s career counselor “works closely with the counselors at our students’ home schools to try to match them up with their aptitude plus their interest‚” Riddle says.
While some students do indeed enter the labor force with the skills they learned at the center‚ most continue their education.
“We work with post-secondary schools‚ both two-year and four-year‚ so our students don’t have to start from scratch‚” he says. “Thus‚ the students can receive credit for high school classes.”
Each program has a student organization‚ whose members receive leadership training and put their newly honed skills to the test in student competitions. Scholarship money is available for active students who excel academically and demonstrate leadership potential.
Riddle says the center is “constantly upgrading its curriculum” to answer the workforce needs of existing and potential business and industry. Advisory councils composed of leaders in each field meet regularly to review course material.
“We like to think that when business and industry are looking at our area that our school is one of the first things they see to help provide a quality workforce‚” he says.
Story by Sharon H. Fitzgerald
Photo by Greg Emens
