#445. New Manufacturing High School Opens

New Manufacturing High School Opens  

That headline caught our eye immediately! While studies have shown that workers with a college degree generally earn more over their lifetime than those who have less education, we also know that college isn’t for everyone, for a variety of reasons. And, the cost of a college education continues to rise.

So, if students can come out of high school with valuable, applicable skills to attain immediate employment in good paying jobs, that is a win-win. Here is the full story:

WACO, Texas – With a shortage of skilled workers in the state a local school district has opened a new manufacturing academy to train high school students for the workforce.

Businesses and community leaders celebrated the grand opening of the Greater Waco Advanced Manufacturing Academy, Sunday.

The new school will focus on math and science and training students in welding and manufacturing.

Waco Independent School District Superintendent Bonny Cain says the school gives some students another alternative.

“What you want in your high schools is a hook, said Cain.” “For some kids going to college, getting a high school diploma is the hook, for some kids athletics is the hook, for some kids fine arts is the hook and for other kids, it is having employable skills. So we have that for them too.”

The idea of creating a school has been in the works for years but took collaboration to finally make it happen.

The manufacturing academy offers students an alternative to graduating from a traditional high school.

Vice President of Central Texas Iron Works Curtis Cleveland, says this school is good everyone.

“This is a win, win, win” it’s great for the students, it’s great from the school districts and it’s great for the business community because the students are going to graduate with an employable life-long skill they can use all their lives. The school districts have a direction to send kids that want to go to work as soon as they graduate high school and what it gives us; the business industrial community, is a trained workforce, which is so important for economic growth,” says Cleveland.

Juniors and seniors who are passing all of their classes can apply.

School starts August 26th but GWAMA is accepting applications until the first 10 days of school.

Link.