Career day knows no age

Published 5:25 pm Wednesday, April 18, 2018

It is never too early to start thinking about possible careers. Elementary students at Thorsby School experienced that first hand April 11.

A career day was held at the school and included presenters from various careers within Chilton County.

“It’s basically an introduction to some of the careers that they [students] don’t normally see,” County Career Coach Kim Benson said.

Central Alabama Electric Cooperative was talking about the job of a lineman as well as its accounting department.

The Alabama Emergency Management Agency parked its mobile unit in front of the school for students to see inside.

Students from LeCroy Career Tech Center were also on hand to speak about the work that goes into being a welder, mechanic or cosmetologist.

“It’s nice for them to see some of the students that walk the halls with them everyday and are about to go out and do these careers,” Benson said.

Benson has a background in business and is in her third year as career coach overseeing the county.

According to Benson, making students of any age aware of the careers that exist was the goal of the day.

“I typically work with high school kids, but by that time it’s a little too late to be introducing them to careers,” Benson said. “I want to start at the elementary level and do an introduction, so that by middle school you’re really getting into the details of what those jobs do and what you have to have to get there.”

Benson has brought the program to other county schools as well, and it is something that she hopes to make an annual initiative. It was the first year that the current career day format had been held at Thorsby.