Macon schools prepare students for workforce, recognized for ‘building stronger future’
The Bibb County School District was recently awarded the Economic Development Partnership Designation, according to a Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority news release on Tuesday.
The competitive certification acknowledges school districts that prioritize the value of Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) pathways in influencing economic development and preparing students for future job success in real-world work environments.
This means that the BCSD played an essential role in the community’s business recruiting and talent development areas.
The distinction comes at a time when the most recent data from the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement shows that more Macon students have decided to enter the workforce immediately after high school graduation post-Covid.
In 2022, 37.2% of Bibb County high school graduates chose to work in state while not attending college, up from the 28.1% of working graduates in 2020, according to the high school graduate outcome data.
The economic development partnership process represents an opportunity to strengthen collaborations between the school district, state, Central Georgia Technical College, the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority and the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, said Cassandra Washington, executive director at W.S. Hutchings College and Career Academy.
“The partnerships allow us to develop a robust pipeline of workforce-ready students from the Bibb County School District, ensuring they graduate high school with stackable credentials that lead to meaningful employment opportunities,” Washington said in the release.
The Bibb County School District has over 30 CTAE pathways available, including culinary arts, sports medicine, animal science and more. Most of the programs are housed at the W.S. Hutchings College and Career Academy. Students can gain knowledge, hands-on experience, trade certification and sometimes college credit by completing carmeer pathways.
CTAE programs prepare students for post-secondary education and further career opportunities, according to the district’s website.
Lori Rodgers, the district’s assistant superintendent of District Effectiveness and Federal Programs, said the designation underscores the school system’s unwavering commitment to aligning education with local businesses.
“It is a reflection of our community’s dedication to creating opportunities that benefit our students and the broader workforce,” Rodgers said in the press release. “Together, we are building a stronger future for everyone in Bibb County.”
Washington said the collaborative approach will allow Macon-Bibb to become an “economically stronger community – a true win-win that will pay dividends for years to come.”
Only 10 school districts in Georgia are invited to apply for the competitive certification process, according to the press release.
School districts receiving the EDP designation participated in a certification process which prepared them to adopt best practices and behaviors that support economic development and align education with key regional industries, according to the Georgia Department of Education’s website.
For the 2023-2024 school year, over 260 students in Macon were enrolled in Internship Bibb, a work-based learning program in the district that works to lead students into meaningful careers. Nearly 150 local employers are hiring Bibb students, Washington said at a board meeting in May.
Jessica Walden, president and CEO of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce said the EDP Designation “validates the hard work being done in Macon-Bibb County.”
“We are excited to see what other opportunities the designation brings to Macon-Bibb County and the ways in which our school system continues to grow,” Walden added.
