Workforce development through public schools has grown in the past 20 years, but its effectiveness in preparing students for their careers has long been evident.

More than a decade ago, Mike Pinney got started on his path in life as a senior at Pell City High. The school’s co-op program offered him an opportunity to split his days as a senior between classwork and welding, which would eventually become his career.

When Pinney was in high school, he was interested in finding a trade to work in after graduation. PCHS offered a program that allowed students to begin learning welding by working for M.T. Deason, a company based in Irondale. Pinney found the program to be a perfect platform for him to gain experience in the field.

“I kind of fell into welding,” Pinney said. “Being a part of the co-op helped me figure out what I wanted to do after school.”

After graduation, Pinney continued to advance at M.T. Deason. In 2015, 12 years into his career with the company, he was presented with the opportunity to take lead of a brand new location, south of Dallas, Texas. He is now in charge of the Texas location, but said he continues to use skills he developed as a student at PCHS.

“What that program did for Michael was, he came in here and immediately started learning a trade,” M.T. Deason CEO Mike Deason said. “He went from a Class C to a Class A welder, and now he’s out in Texas, working as a foreman.”

Deason believes that workforce development programs are a mutually beneficial arrangement. Students jumpstart their careers and build a relationship with the company that trains them.

“Michael’s like a part of our family. We watched him grow up here,” Deason said. “It definitely leads to a sense of loyalty.”

These days, workforce development programs are popular among students because they provide an opportunity to graduate high school with more than just a diploma.

“A benefits to this program, is that even if students choose to take their career in a different direction, this has still enriched their careers,” Pell City School System Curriculum Coordinator Kim Williams said. “They have experience, but they also graduate with a networking system in place. They don’t have to gradate and find their own way, they have connections with businesses and have strong references for their future.”

Currently at PCHS, co-op programs are still available. But recent additions to the school’s workforce development canon, especially in the health care field, are expanding the number of skills students can learn.

“The most beneficial aspect of these courses is the students’ interest,” PCHS Principal Dr. Tony Dowdy said. “These courses give them a drive for their future career plans. For them, these classes are relevant and exciting. This sets them up for success and they recognize and appreciate that.”

Directing students into the workforce also benefits local businesses and industries. The companies involved in the programs are able to grow with the students, and if all goes well, they can move the student into a full-time position post graduation, just like Pinney.

“These kids need to learn a trade,” Deason said. “Having programs like this allows them that, and set them up for success.”

While the program has been evolving over time, it still aims to benefit students the same way it benefitted Pinney. Now, students are able to start off their career-based learning as early as ninth grade. Classes are offered in fire science, law enforcement, health science, engineering, construction and business to students.

“These classes help the kids better prepare for a career in a specific field,” Williams said. “Having experience in a field before students graduate is such a benefit for them.”

In addition to career classes, Williams also encourages students to pursue dual enrollment at Jefferson State Community College, which can begin as early as tenth grade. This is another avenue faculty is taking to introduce students to new skill sets. Courses in manufacturing tech are offered through that program, a field that Williams believes to be vital to the economy.

“Technical careers are so important, and when students graduate with experience in those fields, they will find that there is a great demand for those skill sets in our economy right now,” Williams said. “We plan on continuing to work closely with Jeff State, and hope that the community will recognize the benefits of programs like these.”

Dave Felton with Jefferson State’s Technology Center has worked with several high school students who are dual enrolled and has seen the benefits first-hand. According to Felton, it gives students hands-on experience, credits towards a degree, and something that stands out on college applications.

“Dual enrollment gives students a flavor of college before they graduate, it helps them prepare for their future,” Felton said. “Technology is such an important field nationally and locally, because most major companies in the area are technology-dependent, they need employees that know what they’re doing and have the skills.”

While advances in their education can begin freshman year, the workforce development program becomes available to students their senior year. They work with faculty to find a position available that matches their interest, and then begin their job or internship.

“This gives our students practical, work-based learning experience in a real setting, so that when they graduate from high school, they are better equipped and better informed about expectations and opportunities,” Williams said. “We are able to get students into almost any industry they are interested in.”

Programs like these don’t just benefit students. Local businesses like M.T. Deason are able to build relationships with students who could later become long-time employees.

“We hope that this helps our local economy as well, because we produce better prepared employees,” Williams said. “We now have high school graduates with solid work experience in addition to their education. We want our students to excel and programs like this gives them that opportunity.”