First iCademy graduates complete their courses

Published 7:30 am Monday, May 10, 2010

Seven students have now gone through intense training and completed St. Clair County’s iCademy pilot program.

There are two tracts students who participate in iCademy can take: Heath and Biological Sciences and Technology and Building Sciences. Students who participate receive dual enrollment credit and job training for employment at local industries.

Students who choose the Health and Biological route receive hands-on training in a variety of skills that translate into real-job training for the medical industry.

Those who go the Technology and Building Science path are given the needed training to handle high-tech welding and robotics training in use already at industries in this area.

“I liked it, I liked how it wasn’t a regular classroom. It was more hands on,” Joshua Smith said after he received his certificate of participation in the program.

“It taught us a lot,” Jordan Cagle said.

Technology and Building Science teacher Bill Dill said that the students in his program really took to welding and did quite well. “That’s what it takes in industry,” Dill said. “If they can get it with welding and robotics they can go anywhere, or even right here with Honda.”

St. Vincent’s St. Clair CEO Terrell Vick, who will oversee the construction of the new hospital which will be located off Interstate 20 in Pell City said, “This is about as timely as it could be. To have this in your backyard is wonderful. We’re sowing the seeds for tomorrow.”

He commended Moody High School’s Heather Crocker and Pell City High’s Melanie Mason for doing well in the rigorous Health and Biological Sciences course.

“We are so glad to celebrate the success of these students in this year’s program,” St. Clair County Commission Chairman Stan Batemon said. “The St. Clair County Commission is dedicated to seeing the iCademy program through, to prepare our students for the jobs available in our county. We commend this group of young adults for making the decision to fast-track their career and work hard to meet the goals set by this program.”

The iCademy is a partnership between Jefferson State Community College, the county, the St. Clair County Economic Development Council and private industry. The program was made possible through support and funding from the St. Clair County Commission.

“The manufacturers in St. Clair County and Pell City are excited to have an institution in our community preparing students to be successful in their vocation right out of high school,” Senior Vice President of Ford Meter Box, Zachary Gentile, said. “This group should be proud of the effort they put forth in being part of the first iCademy class.”

Jefferson State representative and former Pell City mayor Guinn Robinson said that it is encouraging to see the first group go through the program,

“This has been a dream for a long time,” Robinson said. Since 1989 area business, educational and government leaders have wanted a program like iCademy, Robinson said. “This is the kind of partnership that makes communities better. The most important ingredient is the students.”

Robinson told the seven students, “Many, many are going to follow you… You sure look young, but you are trailblazers. We’re happy to be here and it’s only going to get bigger and better.”

Economic Development Council Executive Director Don Smith told those gathered at the ceremony, “It’s a history-making course and a program that took a lot of people to come together for the benefit of students in St. Clair County.”