“Coming through our classes, hearing terminology, [learning about] equipment and different careers that are out there, it puts them so much more ahead of your common, everyday student.”
program in May 2010 said, “I believe the more educated, the better, and this class is a great way to start that education.” Working with industry is key; Smith said that “with workforce the way it is today, we work very closely with industry in areas to find out what they are needing. They come to us several times a year and actually meet with our instructors and tell us what they’re needing, what they’re seeing from our students … and we make adjustments in our programs to make sure we’re meeting those needs.” Smith explained that the various programs are increasingly trying to attain industry certifications for their graduates, so a Simulation and Design student could go to California and be employable with a certification that is recognized industry-wide.The programs seek to provide a variety of experiences, so students are more employable; where the Hinds program may focus on Nursing, the academies are developing programs in Veterinary Technician and Sports Medicine. The desired end result is a boost to Mississippi’s economy. Burch said these programs’ approach “certainly services our economy tremendously: to have a high school graduate that comes out, that’s marketable and that’s able to already have their certifications right then, they are able to go into the workforce without the workforce having to pay for that training, or pay for that certification.” And while the hope of both programs is to have students completing advanced degrees, the aim is that even students with a high school degree can go to work immediately with skills and experience to make them employable, and thus begin contributing directly to the economy sooner. Burch reported that in developing the programs, educators in Rankin County have done projections as to what jobs will be most prevalent in 2018, and along with what students are interested in, those projections form the basis for the academies’ focus. If students are being trained in the job areas where there will be future openings and growth, then more students are employable. Smith believes the academies and the Hinds programs are successful because students are enrolling in these opportunities out of a desire to be a part of those careers and an expressed interest in their chosen field. With the iCAPs and career pathway plan, Smith said, “we know where that student wants to be when they graduate. So if we can get that student to their career choice and have that student ready to go, either into the workplace or into a postsecondary institution, then we’ve completed that objective for that student. We did not fail that student.” 4