High school students learned about local career opportunities during the Industry Tour Day on May 5.
About 40 students signed up to be agricultural completers or enrolled in Career Academy of Siloam Springs participated in the tour. They visited Baldor Electric in Westville, Okla., McKee Foods in Gentry and Gates Corporation in Siloam Springs.
CASS is a charter school within Siloam Springs High School that will teach manufacturing trade skills such as industrial maintenance, welding, hydraulics and electronics. It will equip students for entry level industrial technology positions, trade school or a four-year college. Classes are set to begin in the fall.
The industry-driven school is unique in the state because it is the only school that allows students to earn certification through the National Center for Construction Education and Research. Through the accelerated program, students can graduate from high school with a diploma and go to work for a partner company where they will earn their journeyman license in two years, according to teacher Mike Rogers.
As part of CASS classes, students will also learn soft skills such as how to write a resume and dress for an interview.
"I don't think enough of our education leads to employment," Rogers said.
Rogers has more job postings than applicants. Some students will go right to work out of high school while others will go to trade school. Many local companies offer jobs that start out at $15 to $20 an hour and are willing to put students through college or trade school while they work or give them tuition reimbursement.
"Most teachers and parents don't know about it," he said.
Siloam Springs High School held its first industry tour in 2007. In 2008 the school held a job fair with 50 employers.
The tour offers a preview of the workforce while students still have time to prepare for the future, said junior Ashley Rogers, daughter of Mike Rogers. It's also a great opportunity to get feedback on companies, she said.
Ashley Rogers plans to major in construction management and many of the skills she will learn in the CASS program will transfer to her selected career, she said. The best part of the trip was seeing the factories in motion, she said.
"It's pretty interesting," she said.
Junior Daniel Agustin said he went on the tour to learn more about job opportunities after high school. He has already signed up for CASS classes next fall and he expects the program to be a good learning experience that will give him a variety of choices.
Agustin plans to be an engineer and is hoping to earn a scholarship from the University of Arkansas, but he's also interested in becoming an electrician.
The tour taught him what life is like in a factory and he learned about the different types of workers, such as engineers, technicians and machine operators.
"I'm pretty sure where I want to be but it let me know where I could go," he said.
General News on 05/27/2015