In this week's "Skilled to Work," Â鶹app heads to Grissom High School.
Carolyn Wade works at Huntsville City Schools as a career coach. She helps take the pressure off students looking to navigate the coming years.
"We start with students in the eighth grade, creating a four-year plan which gives students the opportunity to look at all the classes they can take in high school," said Wade. "Then, we move with them throughout high school."
Which major should they choose? Where should they go to school? How much money will they make? These are all questions that Wade tackles as a career coach on the day-to-day.
"I just had a student yesterday that sent me an email and was like, 'I am lost, and I have no idea. A friend told me that you'd be willing to sit down with me,'" said Wade.
It's a service that senior Justin Williamson has benefitted from. Williamson thought he had his life plan all figured out.
"Well, when I was going to go to UAH, I was going to do engineering," said Williamson. "I was going to sit at a computer a lot and do math all the time."
Then he went on a school trip to Calhoun Community College, and it changed everything.
"When I saw everything automotive, I got to work with my hands a lot, which is everything I enjoy doing here," said Williamson.
Seeing the automotive program widened Williamson's eyes. Field trips like those are just one way career coaches help students figure out their career path.
It "showed me a good opportunity to go into a career where I got to do that forever," said Williamson.
Not only does Huntsville City Schools offer the help of a career coach, it also offers a number of industry classes for high school students.
"Students are able to get their hands on, and for a lot of students, the career tech classes are an outlet," said Wade.
Williamson takes precision machining, a small taste of what's ahead for him.
"It's showing us all the basics on tool safety and what things are, how tools work, how machines and motors run, also," said Williamson.
On Thursday, students worked with Wade on mock interviews.
Career coach, Huntsville City Schools
"Career planning, career exploration, interest assessments and then taking it a step further, helping them get guest speakers in, doing mock interviews, resume prep, and that's for any student," said Wade.
The goal is to make the future for students feel more exciting than daunting.
"Being here, having her, changed everything," said Williamson. "It helped me figure out things better."
