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Students Prep For Real World

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By SUZANNE M. SCHMIDT

IN THE LOOP

Published: February 18, 2009

New doors will open next year for area students as Certified Career Academies make their debut in all of Pasco County's high schools. The academies team schools and the business community together to give students the tools and skills necessary to graduate and launch careers.

While some of the county's high schools already have career academies, next year will mark the first time that every upper level campus in the district will have at least one.

Terry Aunchman, supervisor of community career and technical education, said the changes are due to the statewide Florida Career and Professional Education Act.

"We have identified areas that there will be a need (for workers), such as healthcare and finance," Aunchman said. "This is a great opportunity for the students and for businesses. We are working with businesspeople to design a rigorous and relevant curriculum to help our students learn the skills they will need. In many cases, our students will come out of school with the proper skills and certifications to go right into the workforce or into post secondary opportunities."

Sunlake High School in Land O' Lakes will have the first and only Finance Academy in the district. Students will have to apply for and interview for the 60 open positions in the academy. Some of the career fields the academy will focus on include accounting, stock brokering, bookkeeping, banking and lending.

"There are only so many positions open, so we will have to pick the best qualified candidates," said Peggy Green, lead teacher for the Sunlake academy. "This will be more then just a simulation; this will be like the real world. The students will be learning about finance and marketing through this academy which is a great skill set to have in every career."

As a part of the Finance Academy, students will be getting hands-on learning through a partnership with Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union. Students will learn the ropes in the credit union during their lunch breaks as well as in the new campus bookstore.

"We will have students running a credit union branch here," Green said. "Three to four students will volunteer to work shifts at the branch once a week. They will be able to open accounts and take deposits. Students will also be able to run the bookstore, which will carry school supplies and other items."

Through the program, students will also have the chance to get certified for future careers in programs like Microsoft Office, Access, Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Quickbooks.

"Students will have the potential to leave here and go right into the workforce with nationally recognized certifications," said Kim Davis, assistant principal. "It is also good for the students who want to continue on to college because we will also have advanced placement classes and we are working on a dual enrollment program so our students can get college credit. They will also learn practical skills they will need to have regardless. It will teach them the skills they have to have in order to plan for their futures."

Wesley Chapel High School will have an Automotive Technology Certified Career Academy and Land O' Lakes High School will have a Culinary Certified Career Academy. Wiregrass Ranch High School has already started its Technology Certified Career Academy. For more information, visit careers.pasco.k12.fl.us/academies. Businesses interested in partnering with schools can call Aunchman at (813) 794-2211.

Reporter Suzanne M. Schmidt can be reached at (813) 948-4288 or sschmidt@mediageneral.com.

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