CAMDEN, S.C. — By putting pen to paper, six students at Woolard Technology Center in Camden have accepted a full-time job in their chosen job field, right out of high school.
“I'm excited,” said student Isaiah Blease.
Blease accepted a job where he can focus on carpentry, which has always been a passion and keeps him close to home.
“It's great. And the commute isn't too far, and I can stay around Kershaw and stay around the family,” Blease said.
The signing day is to highlight the hard work these students have completed, similar to signing days when athletes commit to playing college sports.
“You oftentimes see students sign a letter of intent to play college sports, you know, after High School," Woolard Technology Center Director Gordon Morris said. "And we said, you know, we need to do that for our students who are going on to pursue a career after high school.”
These students are involved in Career Technical Education program and already have their career path mapped out. While it's a big day for the students heading out into the workforce, it's also a great day for for local businesses like Roy’s Wood Products, which are filling vacancies with graduates who want to stay in their hometown.
“It's great and, man, it feels like family. We’ve seen most of the kids come up through the school system, whether it's them knowing our children or through other workers and their children being friends," said Jody Brazell with Roy's Wood Products. "It’s nice to see their work, and we know a lot about them when they come in. These kids are usually energetic, they are interested in what we are doing, they come in with a great attitude, jump in, you know they want to learn, and that in and of itself is huge.”
The center expects a few more kids to receive offers in the coming weeks.