BY KARISSA MILLER
Under sunny skies, the first Iredell-Statesville Schools Careers on Wheels event was a success right from the start.
The event was conducted in partnership with Mitchell Community College, Mooresville Graded School District, Iredell County Economic Development Corporation and the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce on Friday.
I-SS and MGSD sixth-graders traveled to the Iredell County Fairgrounds to meet with industry leaders, representatives of businesses and other organizations.
“This is a conscious effort to really begin to work with kids grades 5-12 and get them ramped up so that we get them ready for post-secondary success,” I-SS Career Technical Education Director Tim Woody said.
“When they leave high school, we want them to know where they are going for their career, whether that be go into the military or college,” he added.
One of the goals of the event, Woody said, is to introduce to career opportunities the students at an impressionable age.
“The excitement we have, I think, is because we’re outside and that lends to a lot of different learning styles,” Woody explained. “Sometimes indoors it can be really loud and they are spaced out enough from the vendors to rotate around.”
Students were eager to learn about different types of careers and options available to them.
CTE Stem Coordinator Debra Lester said that many of the companies se tup interactive stations for the students. She pointed out that Custom Logistics had a great interactive game to teach students about the company’s work .
“Most kids don’t know what logistics is. So what they do is they teach them how they get everything to the store,” Lester explained. “[In the game] You are a shipper. You’re a driver. Then the driver takes it and gives it to the receiver.
“It teaches them the three main components of logistics, and they don’t even realize that they are learning,” she added.
Troutman Town Manager Ron Wyatt said he was impressed with the knowledge the students brought to the event.
“Some came with lists of questions prepared. They asked good questions and have been engaged,” Wyatt said.
He said that as a sixth-grader he had no clue what he wanted to do, adding “if we can give them any answers or direction that it’s worthwhile.”
Emily Watson, Troutman parks and recreation director, agreed and said it’s important to engage with citizens and students in the community and help contribute to their future success.
Around 1,000 students participated in the event. There were approximately 40 vendors. Students rotated to different stations every 30 minutes.
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