GOOD BUSINESS
9
Summer Edition 2016
BlueRibbonNews.com
Education is a great investment for our cities, our state
and our nation – an investment that produces benefits for
taxpayers, for businesses and, most importantly, for our
kids. Innovative efforts are being led by businesses and
schools in Rockwall to help students get ready for the
workforce, and there are ways for everyone to
contribute to this progress.
With graduation season upon us, high school and college
students are quickly looking at continuing their education
or examining their real-world options for entering the
workforce. While graduates contemplate the world of
work with hope and optimism, they probably also
have traces of trepidation, as do employers.
Across the state of Texas, companies looking to expand
have revealed that their #1 concern is the difficulty of
hiring workers with the right skill set. The “right” skill set
in this rapidly changing economic environment includes
the capacity to understand advanced technology, and this
understanding is not exclusive to those having four-year
college degrees.
Students who are unable to attend college for financial
reasons, or who are not interested in a four-year college
education, need to know that they have options. Good
options. There is no need to resort to minimum-wage jobs
with little room for advancement when there are hundreds
of high-paying jobs in the skilled trades. Career and
technical education gives students access to these trades.
Rockwall ISD’s contribution to getting
kids ready for the jobs that are actually
out there is the forthcoming College &
Career Academy. The Academy will
offer pathways designed to provide
students with an opportunity to explore
career options and professional
certifications in science, technology,
engineering and math. Available career pathways will
include architecture, audio & video production, computer
maintenance & repair, engineering and many others.
Skilled manufacturing jobs are plentiful and require career
and technical education, along with a strong aptitude for
math and technology. Students need to know that these jobs
are available in their own backyard – in their hometown –
and today’s modern manufacturing is not your grandfather’s
industry. Today’s manufacturing is clean, computer-
based and technical, requiring brains more than brawn.
Developing the manufacturing workforce of the future
depends on reaching high school students while they are
still formulating plans for their careers – while they are still
in high school. Working as interns is an effective, proactive
way to motivate students to consider these careers.
The Rockwall Economic Development Corporation
supports local businesses providing internships for students
to see the many options available in fields that they might
not even know exist. With nearly 1,000 Rockwall students
having just graduated, it is imperative for local companies
and schools to bridge the gap in educating students about
non-college career options that will allow them to be
gainfully employed right out of high school.
The REDC looks forward to sharing more insight with you
in future issues. Please visit our website rockwalledc.com
for more information.
By Sheri Franza,
Rockwall EDC President & CEO
••• Economic Development Insight •••
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