High school academies prepare students for the future
- May 3, 2015
- / Reggie Dogan
- / education
In 2001, West Florida High School opened its doors as Escambia County’s first and only “wall-to-wall” career academy.
Every student there is enrolled in one of 12 career tracks, for all four years.
Since then, the district has created more than 55 smaller career academies at the other six high schools, where some, but not all, students specialize in their chosen field.
Come 2016, Pine Forest High School will be the next wall-to-wall academy school, bringing students a focused educational experience that aims to prepare them for the workforce.
“Career academies offer our students an opportunity or a desire to come to school because they are taking classes they are interesting in,” Principal Frank Murphy said. “We’re super excited about getting there.”
The rise in career academies underscores the importance of workforce readiness.
High schools such as Pine Forest and West Florida are increasing their presence across the state and nation at a time when support for career and technical education is picking up steam.
In Santa Rosa County, all six high schools and Locklin Technical Center, offer a variety of academies to give students a foundation to start a career or further their education.
Tim Wyrosdick, Santa Rosa schools superintendent, is looking to expand the county’s workforce readiness through a full-fledged, career-driven high school.
Though approval and funding has yet to be achieved, the proposed $55 million Innovation High School will meld an academic environment for industry certifications into Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and dual enrollment programs all in the same school.
A new path to future success
In Escambia County, more than 40 percent of middle and high school students — about 9,100 children — are enrolled in the 43 high school and 17 middle school academies in the district.
Studies show that career and technical education enhances student engagement and increases a student’s chances of graduating from high school.
Students who take more than three career technical courses in a single program of study are called “concentrators.”
More than 75 percent of those students either find a job related to their career path, go to college or enter the military, according to the state’s 2013-14 Career and Professional Education Act Enrollment and Performance Report.
Senior Alyssa Webb plans to be among them.
She is making plans to transfer the skills she acquired in the new media academy to college and on to a career.
She spent the school year in the TV production course producing, making videos, editing film and anchoring a newscast.
“I was inspired by this class to go into TV,” says Webb, who plans to major in film production at Florida State University. “This is a great place to get a head start on a career.”
Career academies are the modern incarnation of the decades-old vocational education programs.
But that education path often has carried a stigma that it is not academically rigorous —that the four-year, liberal arts bachelor’s degree is more valuable. That view, though underestimates the complexity of the modern work world and skill needed to navigate it.
Increasingly, career academies and training are seen as opportunities to get a head start on a career or to explore a career and earn higher wages in college while working in a field of interest, says Michelle Taylor, director of workforce education for Escambia schools.
“Career training and education is one of the strategies to provide opportunities for students to be prepared to enter high-wage jobs at graduation or continue their education at a college,” Taylor says.
Gaining a workplace advantage
At West Florida, students have to apply to enroll into the school; they are selected by a lottery.
When Pine Forest transitions to all career academies, it will remain a traditional, zoned high school, although students from around the county can apply to individual academies.
The career academy framework is simple: hands-on technical training is combined with rigorous instruction in the classroom.
In addition to memorizing a geometric proof or algebraic expression, students would use geometry or algebra as part of their class or work project.
The academy concept applies to a wide range of fields. A construction worker, for example, would get practical training with building a structure.
Once in an academy, students choose a pathway. At Pine Forest, those pathways will include New Media, Culinary Arts, Design Services, Cybersecurity, Robotics, Home Builders Association of West Florida Green Construction Trades and Future Teacher, a teaching academy that will virtually guarantee local teaching jobs to graduates who go on to college.
Students in career academies can get a jump start in their job search and in their college careers because all courses offered lead to industry certification or college credit linked directly to their course of study.
“Pine Forest has been the leader in industry certification out of all other high schools year after year,” says Malcolm Thomas, superintendent of Escambia schools. “They’re primed for it, and the staff is ready for it.”
Randy Ramos, CEO of Global Business Solutions Inc., applauds Pine Forest’s cybersecurity academy for doing a “wonderful job” of helping students develop skills to prepare them for a career or college. The skills are in high demand in the military and in government and contractors working with information technology and the defense department.
“Students acquiring those certifications will have an advantage pursuing a career or degree over students not having certifications,” Ramos says.
Angela Irby, Pine Forest’s cybersecurity instructor and coach, says schools won’t be able to keep up with the demand for skilled workers.
“There’s definitely a growing demand for these skills,” Irby says. “I predict there won’t be enough people to fill the jobs in the coming years.”
As an employer, Ramos would rather have a skilled worker ready for the rigors of employment than a college student with no experience.
“With respect to workforce readiness, a person’s knowledge, skills and abilities are more important to GBSI than education,” Ramos says. “I believe industry has been moving in this direction for some time as the gap between job openings and skilled workforce continues to widen.”
She spent the school year in the TV production course producing, making videos, editing film and anchoring a newscast.
“I was inspired by this class to go into TV,” says Webb, who plans to major in film production at Florida State University. “This is a great place to get a head start on a career.”
Career academies are the modern incarnation of the decades-old vocational education programs.
But that education path often has carried a stigma that it is not academically rigorous —that the four-year, liberal arts bachelor’s degree is more valuable. That view, though underestimates the complexity of the modern work world and skill needed to navigate it.
Increasingly, career academies and training are seen as opportunities to get a head start on a career or to explore a career and earn higher wages in college while working in a field of interest, says Michelle Taylor, director of workforce education for Escambia schools.
“Career training and education is one of the strategies to provide opportunities for students to be prepared to enter high-wage jobs at graduation or continue their education at a college,” Taylor says.
Gaining a workplace advantage
At West Florida, students have to apply to enroll into the school; they are selected by a lottery.
When Pine Forest transitions to all career academies, it will remain a traditional, zoned high school, although students from around the county can apply to individual academies.
The career academy framework is simple: hands-on technical training is combined with rigorous instruction in the classroom.
In addition to memorizing a geometric proof or algebraic expression, students would use geometry or algebra as part of their class or work project.
The academy concept applies to a wide range of fields. A construction worker, for example, would get practical training with building a structure.
Once in an academy, students choose a pathway. At Pine Forest, those pathways will include New Media, Culinary Arts, Design Services, Cybersecurity, Robotics, Home Builders Association of West Florida Green Construction Trades and Future Teacher, a teaching academy that will virtually guarantee local teaching jobs to graduates who go on to college.
Students in career academies can get a jump start in their job search and in their college careers because all courses offered lead to industry certification or college credit linked directly to their course of study.
“Pine Forest has been the leader in industry certification out of all other high schools year after year,” says Malcolm Thomas, superintendent of Escambia schools. “They’re primed for it, and the staff is ready for it.”
Randy Ramos, CEO of Global Business Solutions Inc., applauds Pine Forest’s cybersecurity academy for doing a “wonderful job” of helping students develop skills to prepare them for a career or college. The skills are in high demand in the military and in government and contractors working with information technology and the defense department.
“Students acquiring those certifications will have an advantage pursuing a career or degree over students not having certifications,” Ramos says.
Angela Irby, Pine Forest’s cybersecurity instructor and coach, says schools won’t be able to keep up with the demand for skilled workers.
“There’s definitely a growing demand for these skills,” Irby says. “I predict there won’t be enough people to fill the jobs in the coming years.”
As an employer, Ramos would rather have a skilled worker ready for the rigors of employment than a college student with no experience.
“With respect to workforce readiness, a person’s knowledge, skills and abilities are more important to GBSI than education,” Ramos says. “I believe industry has been moving in this direction for some time as the gap between job openings and skilled workforce continues to widen.”
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