Sophomores from De Queen, Nashville, and Horatio High School attended UA Cossatot’s Career Exploration Camp on Friday, April 12. The event was held at the Lockesburg campus, and over three hundred students were in attendance. The goal of the Career Exploration Camp was to make an impact on high school students by encouraging them to start preparing for college and to remind them to take advantage of college opportunities while they are still in high school.
UA Cossatot’s Secondary Career Center offers area high school students the opportunity to attend technical classes and explore technical skills training their junior and senior year of high school. Students at the event were introduced to this, as UA Cossatot instructors gave information about UA Cossatot’s automotive, medical, welding, and industrial technology programs. Students were also encouraged at the camp to take general studies courses in high school, such as Comp 1 and College Algebra that will count for college credit.
After gaining a head start by taking classes through the college’s Secondary Career Center, students can continue taking classes in that program using what they previously took in high school to apply to their degree or certificate in college.
Along with the Secondary Career Center, the college also has Career Coaches working within local school districts to help students learn about careers and UA Cossatot opportunities.
UA Cossatot’s Director of High School Programs, Julie Rhodes said, “The Career Exploration Camp is a joint effort between UA Cossatot’s Secondary Career Center and the Career Coach program sponsored through the Arkansas Department of Career Education. The camp that was held on the Lockesburg Campus of UA Cossatot was a huge success. The students were able to explore either medical careers or STEM Careers with hands-on activities.”
Employees from local businesses, such as Tyson Foods, Husqvarna, and Howard County Memorial Hospital, were also present at the Career Exploration Camp to give advice, opinions, and suggestions about how to gain a competitive edge. The employees took part in a panel discussion on the stage, as they were asked specific questions by the students and moderator Loren Hinton.
After the panel discussion concluded, students broke up into assigned groups based on their interests. Educational sessions, games, and food were provided throughout the day.
Rhodes added, “Events like this help students get a real-world feel for future careers. Along with the technical part of the camp, there were also sessions on interview skills and money management presented by Lisa Coulter from the Bank of Lockesburg. Without all of our community sponsors and the Career Coach grant, these experiences would not be possible. I would like to thank the school districts that have the Career Coach program in place. That choice shows the school districts dedication to the success of our next generations.”
For any high school students interested in taking classes at UA Cossatot while in high school through the Secondary Career Center please contact Julie Rhodes at jrhodes@cccua.edu.