Picking a pathway: Columbia County kids explore career options
EVANS, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Columbia County eighth-graders explored career and educational options during the school district’s inaugural Pathway Fair on Tuesday.
It’s a chance for them to make an informed decision about what curriculum pathway they want to follow throughout high school, said Brooks Smith, career and college readiness director for the Columbia County School District.
The eighth-graders interacted with high school students enrolled in each pathway along with industry representatives who work directly with those pathways.
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A total of 24 career and fine arts pathways were on display for eighth-graders to explore.
Elijah Rodriguez was one of the high schoolers interacting with the younger students.
The high school senior is in the automotive pathway and serves as an intern with Columbia County Fleet Services.
“I feel like the younger kids don’t really know what they want to do in life, and this job fair is a great idea,” he said.
From first responders to high school seniors, paving a path for the next generation.
“Our goal is when students graduate from high school, they land in a career that they’re going to enjoy,” said Brooks Smith, career and college readiness director. “Some of those decisions begin with good information about what these different careers look like.”
Rodriguez says everyone’s path looks different.
“There’s always going to be a need for trades workers and a lot of kids don’t think about that,” said Rodriguez. “There’s nothing wrong with going to a trade school or just going straight in the workforce out of high school.”
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And because of programs like these, Rodriguez fets to do what he loves.
“I want to go to Augusta Tech,” said Rodriguez. “Do either the automotive program or their light diesel program and after that just be a full-time diesel mechanic. My grandfather was a diesel mechanic, my dad’s a diesel mechanic, just kind of a legacy thing. I like to carry on.”
“It just exposes them to different things they may not have realized were options in high school,” the future diesel mechanic said.
Smith said the event has been held in the past in some form, but this is the first time the district has brought together the eighth-graders, high schoolers and business representatives.
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The event continues Wednesday. By the time it’s over, more than 2,000 eighth-graders will have participated.
The event will be followed by the annual Rising Freshmen Night for eighth-graders and their parents on Thursday.
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