ROGERSVILLE — The Career and Technical Education work-based learning program places Hawkins County high school students in local businesses and industries where they can gain hands-on experience and become better prepared to enter the workforce after graduation.
Cherokee High School senior Ethan Kimbrough, who is in the maintenance and light repair program, has spent his senior year in a work-based learning internship at Rogersville Marine, a boat sale and repair business.
Kimbrough said he decided to participate in work-based learning for the experience.
“I wanted the real-world experience,” Kimbrough said. “I wanted to kind of get my feet wet before I actually get out of high school and do something.”
Chuck Smith, the owner of Rogersville Marine, a family-owned business that has been around since 1974, decided to get a work-based learning student to help grow the trade industry.
“What I’ve seen in our workforce today, there’s a great need for industry,” Smith said. “We need carpenters. We need electricians. We need plumbers. We need mechanics. We need people to rebuild engines. We need construction workers. We need feet on the ground, so to speak.”
Before choosing his first-ever work-based learning student, Smith had interviews with prospective candidates.
While Kimbrough has mainly been interested in auto mechanics, Cherokee work-based learning coordinator Amy Jeffers said after meeting Smith, Kimbrough decided to branch out.
“I would say on Ethan’s behalf that he was strict auto mechanics,” Jeffers said. “Once he sat down with Chuck for the interview, they just had a vibe. So I think that that was good and to open his eyes to other things besides strictly cars.”
Smith said having Kimbrough in the shop has helped him to slow down.
“I think it’s been a great experience because it helped me slow down and take the time to show him what he needs or help him understand,” Smith said. “I’ve done it all my life, so I just do it and don’t really think about it. So having him here with me has taken me back and made me younger, so I can show him the fundamental side.”
During his work-based learning class, Kimbrough said he has been able to do more hands-on activities.
In addition to working in the repair shop, Smith said he has shown Kimbrough the business side of Rogersville Marine, giving him a well-rounded balance of skills.
“Here, where I’m open to the public, he’s able to interact with my customers,” Smith said. “He’s able to answer my telephone if I’m busy. I also take him into the office and show him the business side of it, not just out here turning wrenches and screwdrivers. So I think it gives him a well-rounded balance because every person that comes in the door is different. So we may be able to work this way with Bill, but we have to work a different way with Mary. It gives him well-roundedness because in the real world, it’s that way; everybody is unique.”
Jeffers said work-based learning is the best way for students to get real-world experience. However, she said some businesses are unsure about participating in the program because the students are in high school.
“I think some of the stigma is that they’re high school students, but honestly, we’re producing well-rounded young adults,” Jeffers said. “Young adults that we need to distribute to the community, and we want to try to retain those students here at home.”
Smith said participating in the work-based learning program is important because our future workforce depends on these types of programs.
Kimbrough said the work-based learning program is essential to the CTE program because it helps students better understand what they are going into.
“So I think the program is important so kids my age can get the experience before they come out into the real world and have a better idea of what they need to do and how to get started on things,” Kimbrough said.
Smith said he plans to continue participating in the work-based learning program in the future.
For more information about getting involved with the work-based learning program for Hawkins County Schools, contact Brandon Williams at brandon.williams@HCK12.NET.