This award provides funding to Wilson County Schools to create “College & Career Exploration” labs at Darden and Speight Middle Schools. These labs will provide students with hands-on career exploration and learning experiences to help them decide where their interests and aptitudes align within a career pathway. Students will also work with 5 industry leaders per semester in career modules that will include a range of pathways that meet criteria for workforce preparedness and building a pipeline of trained employees to keep Wilson County’s economy thriving. The pathways include Biomedical Engineering, Computer Drafting and Design, Computer Graphics and Animation, Manufacturing Technologies, Electricity and Electronics, Environment and Ecology, Employability Skills, Home Maintenance, Intro to Health Science Careers, and Structural Engineering. This initiative supports Wilson’s economic development efforts and demonstrates to potential employers their commitment to maintaining a skilled workforce. Golden LEAF funds will be used for the college- and career-ready curriculum and software modules and related materials, lab equipment and furniture, and professional development training.
