How this superintendent is helping guarantee workforce readiness

In 2013, fewer than 60% of students in Alabaster City Schools were attending some form of college. Therefore, this superintendent had to make sure the other 40% had options available to them. Here’s how he did it.

The Alabama district’s tagline, “Building Champions,” is central to every initiative, says Superintendent Wayne Vickers, who was recently named one of District Administration’s “Leaders of Distinction.” He believes students should carry the title of a champion beyond high school and into postsecondary education, the military and the workforce.

In August, the district will launch the ACS Champions Craft Academy, a new workforce development center that will work with industry partners to create career pathways for students.

In 2013, Dr. Vickers was hired as the first superintendent of the newly formed Alabaster City Schools. The district did not have a nearby workforce development program in place for students. As of today, the percentage of students attending college or joining the military after high school has risen to 80%. The remaining 20% is the target of this workforce academy.

So, by using the interest the district earned on its investment accounts and a partnership with its local banks, the school district purchased a former church meeting space that once housed a supermarket in the early 1990s. This investment will become a fully functioning workforce academy that will offer three programs: welding, electrical and building science/construction technology.

Here’s a brief video showcasing the facility:

Vickers says it’s a 12-year vision of his and that of the Board of Education that has finally come to pass.

“My Board of Education was always supportive,” he says. “When we talk about all kids, we mean all kids.”

To date, 200 students have applied for enrollment in the fall. Vickers is proud to say that they were able to accept 190 of them. Furthermore, the programs they’re offering were highly sought after among the students.

The best part is that students won’t have to sacrifice their extracurriculars to participate in the academy, he explains.

“The Champions Craft Academy is six-and-a-half minutes from our high school,” says Vickers. “They can be in the academy’s electrical program and still be at baseball practice at the end of the day or march in the band. We wanted to make sure that our students wouldn’t give up that experience of being a high school student and still be prepared for the workforce when they receive that diploma.”

How to replicate it

The good news here is that what Alabaster City Schools is doing is replicable, Vickers explains. If you’re looking to expand workforce opportunities for students, he encourages you to reach out to your local businesses, because they’re waiting.

“Don’t be afraid of starting small,” he says. “If you want to build a 12-program workforce development center, that’s great and wonderful if you have the resources. But the worst thing you can do is open up and not have strong connections in the real world”

“Knock on that door. Send out that email. Hire people that know how to make it happen and unleash them and support them.”