"Real-world" skills

As part of the Career and Technical Center at the high school, the Diversified Occupations program - in a terrific partnership involving dozens of local employers - students get “real-world” work experience and marketable job skills in preparation for life after graduation.  This is for students who are interested in occupations for which no specific CTC program currently exists.

In addition to their other classes, students meet one period per day in the classroom and work with employers in the afternoon or on weekends.

One of the students who was honored at last week’s Employer Appreciation ceremony talked about his experience with the classroom part of the program.

Among other things, the course syllabus included sections on budgeting (students had to develop and maintain a budget throughout the year); credit, what's involved in renting an apartment, as well as employer expectations and how to prepare for a job interview.

At the conclusion of his remarks, I turned to the high school principal who was sitting next to me, and we said in unison, "every student should take this course."

Of course, that's probably not practical, but still...