Are you a Davie County High School student wondering what the future holds for you after graduation? Look no further! November is National Career Development Month, and Davie County High School is gearing up for an exciting Career Development Week, beginning on November 13th.
Throughout this month, the Career and Technical Education (CTE) department at Davie is using flex and lunch times to bring students an array of guest speakers and learning opportunities. Students can gain valuable insights from professionals, explore various career paths, and network with the possibility of job shadowing or internship opportunities.
From army recruiters to wildlife conservation experts, the programming aims to expose students to diverse career opportunities and connect them with professionals here in our community. Whether students are interested in law enforcement, real estate, EMS services, or even K9 training, there are opportunities for every interest.
Helping Students Discover Their Potential
Alyse Wooldridge has been an educator at Davie County High School for 16 years. Now in her third year as the high school’s Career Development Coordinator, Wooldridge guides students towards their post-high school plans, working closely with the CTE department and local businesses to connect students with real-world opportunities.
“One of my big goals is to expose students to everything we offer in Davie County because it’s really a fantastic place to work and live, and we have a lot of opportunities students can maximize without ever leaving our county,” she explained.
“I work with students to develop a plan for after high school, whether that’s going into the workforce, pursuing further education, completing an apprenticeship, joining the military – whatever that is, helping students navigate creating and then executing that plan,” Wooldridge elaborated.
Wooldridge is excited about all the high school has in store in November. “There’s an opportunity every day we’re in school this month for students to make connections with businesses in our county, learn more, and hopefully set up internships and job shadows through this,” she said.
Wooldridge hopes to tailor the programming specifically towards pre-existing interests the students have.
“I had a lot of people indicate they were interested in real estate, so I knew I needed to find a realtor to talk about how they got into real estate and what they do in the day-to-day,” she explained.
The general manager for the Montgomery Biscuits Minor League baseball team, Michael Murphy, will even be speaking to the Sports and Event Marketing class on Friday the 17th.
The CTE department emphasizes the importance of its Major Clarity system, a district-wide career development tool that’s used from sixth grade onwards. This comprehensive system provides students with learning style and personality assessments, matching them with potential careers. The school can then utilize this information to suggest relevant high school classes. The goal is to help students build a roadmap for their future, connect the dots, and build industry credentials and certifications with courses taken at DCHS.
“We like to expose students to as many different careers as possible. Being able to pull that data and know that they are interested in one field, and to later see the student’s eyes light up and hear them talk about what people do, to hear their questions about how you get to that point, that’s very rewarding,” she shared.
Real Connections, Real Opportunities
Career Development Month is bigger than ever this year, with unique opportunities offered every school day. One unique aspect of this year’s programming is the active involvement of local businesses and DCHS alumni.
Wooldridge has already seen doors open for students due to the programming. One student is set to shadow a local expert, thanks to connections made during these sessions. Another was able to get in touch with the Human Resources department at a local business based on the student’s after-high school plans.
A District-Wide Celebration
National Career Development Week, starting November 13th, extends beyond Davie County High School. Across the district, teachers will share their personal career journeys, showcase local industries, encourage dress-for-success days, and participate in career-themed activities.
During this week, there will be daily activities throughout the Davie County school system. Monday kicks off National Career Week with teachers sharing their personal career journeys with students. On Wednesday, schools may choose to recognize a “dress for success” theme, where students dress up as their future profession. The week will end with fun career-oriented games and activities.
Your Future Awaits: A Plan for Every Student
The CTE department is committed to building a comprehensive plan, ensuring each student can shape their future successfully.
During junior and senior years of high school, the department begins discussing opportunities with students like Career and College Promise and being dually enrolled in courses at Davidson-Davie Community College.
“We start talking about apprenticeships, the work-ready assessment, and that Davie County is a work-ready community, those kinds of opportunities. When we move into senior year, we finalize their plan, connect them with a job, and ensure they have those final pieces in place so they can graduate with a plan of action.”
The planning for students’ career pathways begins far before this milestone, however.
“There’s a plan of action the CTE department is developing starting in 5th grade so that kids can start being exposed to what a career is. And so in each grade after that, we’re building upon those concepts that we’ve learned and working towards an after-high school action plan, connecting those dots, and making them aware of those opportunities here in Davie County,” she explained.
This month is a great way for students to continue solidifying that plan and seeing what’s out there. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to explore and dream about your future. Career Development Month is an investment in your tomorrow!
How to Participate
Getting involved is easy! Information about Career Development Month is posted on digital boards throughout the high school.
Both lunch and flex time windows provide students with the ability to hear guest speakers. Using the Edficiency system, students can sign up for specific Career Development sessions. The CTE department is even able to invite specific students to speaker sessions based on the interests shown within their Major Clarity profile.
Stay Connected
Students can find more information on Career Development Month in their daily emails regarding important school announcements. Keep an eye on the CTE social media accounts for updates on upcoming sessions. You can follow the CTE department on their Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. For additional information, email Alyse Wooldridge at wooldridgea@davie.k12.nc.us.
