Middle School Students Explore Careers During Students@Work Week

Thousands of middle school students across North Carolina will get some hands-on experience in the workplace this week.

The North Carolina Business Committee for Education and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction are partnering to present the annual Students@Work initiative starting today (Monday). The week-long program offers job-shadowing opportunities for students in grades 6-9. Professionals also visit schools to talk about their experience in the workplace.

In Guilford County several businesses, including the Furnitureland Rotary Club in High Point and the State Employees Credit Union, will work with students in the field. Bob Gantt, Director of Career and Technical Education for Guilford County Schools, says students will have a chance to explore and investigate interests that they have in potential careers.

"Lenovo, the computer manufacturer, is partnering with us and so we have students from two schools who will be traveling to Durham that day. Our students will be working with professionals from Lenovo to do computer refurbishing and the product of their work will go to help families in need," he says.

Coordinators with the Students@Work initiative say the goal of the program is to help kids stay in school and graduate from high school. This year, more than 22,600 students and 190 businesses in North Carolina will participate in the program.