Guest Writer: Director of Career and College Pathways Leah Sams
St. Cloud Area School District 742 is excited to launch Career and College Academies at our high schools! With the guidance of the Minnesota Department of Education’s career wheel, Career and College Academies are designed to introduce students to a wide selection of career fields. District 742 aims to ensure opportunities and access to career programming so that all students can participate in career and college coursework, job shadowing, internships and more.
“Career and College Academies allow students to try on a career path,” explains Derek Miller, business education teacher at Tech High School. “They are usually more engaged because they can see themselves having a career in the path they chose. I really appreciate our district going above and beyond to reach all learners.”
The academies are flexible in that students can always change their mind about a chosen path. District 742 hopes students participate in fields that interest them and that those experiences help make decisions that best align with career goals after high school. There are three distinct Career and College Academies. They are Business, Entrepreneurship, Communication and Arts (BECA), Health Sciences, Human Sciences and Hospitality (HHH), and Manufacturing, Engineering and Natural Resources (MENR).
The BECA academy aims to prepare students for career and college success by providing students with personalized, relevant opportunities that foster innovation, expression and creativity to ensure well-rounded individuals who can apply those skills in many fields: sales and marketing, business management, accounting, visual arts, performing arts, information technology, programming and software development, or communication technology.
“The business pathway has given me an opportunity to learn about topics I am interested in and makes me feel more confident in my skills,” shares senior Hajir Mohamed. “I now know the different areas in business and my future career options.”
The HHH academy exists to prepare students for career and college success by empowering them to serve their community through innovation, compassionate leadership and gaining valuable skills to join the workforce.
HHH careers benefit students who have a passion to help others and make a difference in the world. This academy is a good fit for students who recognize the value of “service” and hear the call for helping others. Some of the pathways students can choose are medicine, health and wellness, child and human development, psychology, education, tourism, food services, law enforcement and public services.
Lastly, the MENR academy helps students prepare for career and college success through high-skill and high-tech areas through developing innovative solutions to enhance their communities.
MENR students work with raw materials and equipment. They may design a new product, create a prototype or build following existing plans. Students in this academy consider the environment and learn about being good stewards of resources available.
“We want to take it to the next level,” explains Mark Weimer, career and tech ed teacher at Apollo High School. “We’ve had your traditional metal fabrication classes, automotive classes, and we’ve had some robotics classes, but we want to take it to the next level with manufacturing-infused classes.”
Some of the pathways that students can explore in this academy are architecture, construction, transportation, production, landscaping, agribusiness and others.
Thanks to a Get Ready, Gear Up grant, two career pathway coordinators have been hired for each high school. Their role ensures delivery of the Get Ready, Gear Up curriculum as well as offering college and career advising sessions, organizing and promoting career and college tours and information, and engaging parents and guardians to expand their college and career knowledge.
Career and College Academies are an exciting portal to the future!
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