Career Day welcomes 150 students
Published 11:05 pm Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Regions Bank representative Elizabeth Rutledge addresses the more than 150 Selma High School students who attended the Wallace Community College-sponsored Career Day Wednesday about career opportunities. Also pictured are Selma High senior Bria Cook and First Cahawba Bank representative Shaudonna Minor. Representatives from 14 other programs and businesses also attended the career fair. -- Desiree Taylor
More than 150 Selma High sophomores, juniors and seniors gathered in Wallace Community College’s gymnasium Wednesday to hear about career and technical opportunities available after high school.
Sponsored by Wallace, Selma City School’s Career Technical Day brought more than 14 organizations and local universities together to set up descriptive displays and offer information pamphlets for such programs as cosmetology, welding, masonry, human resources, banking and catering.
Gwendolyn Watts, with the Dallas County Department of Human Resources, said she was pleased with the students’ interest.
“They asked some pretty good questions,” Watts said. “I enjoyed them.”
Brenton Sanders, Selma High senior who plans to attend ITT Technical Institute in Huntsville for drafting, said the event was informative.
“They presented me with a lot of good information — like with scholarships, ways to be successful and how to get accepted into colleges,” Sanders said.
Willie Broadnax, American Government and Economic instructor for Selma High, said the event gives students options.
“Not everybody’s going to attend college,” Broadnax said. “So technical programs like ones at Wallace can be a stepping stone for students’ future success.”
Dr. Verdell Lett Dawson, administrative assistant to superintendent for curriculum and instruction for Selma City Schools, said the event allows students to see what is beyond high school.
“Often times students attending technical school can make more money — anywhere between $40-to-$50 an hour — than students who’ve attended college,” Dawson said. “We’re trying to do a balance of being career ready and college ready.”
Paul Williams, a Montgomery chef who owns his own catering business, encouraged students who desired to be entrepreneurs to learn the industry.
“If you want to be successful in your craft go to culinary school and get certification,” Williams said. “The school will teach you how to establish yourself and how to learn the business and the food industry. If you want to make money and do things the right way, go to school.”
