‘It’s all about working hard and showing up’: New program prepares Hillsborough students for workforce

TAMPA, Fla. - Sometimes experience is the best teacher, and some of the best educators try to get their students to experience what they are teaching them about. That's what the Hillsborough County Public Schools Career and Technical Education program aspires to do.

"Through the building and construction program it's kind of an umbrella of all of the construction industry," stated Lauren Ebert, the supervisor of the career and technical education program. "They (students) learn all of those different aspects to go into the construction industry. We have a great program here and throughout the district."

Middleton High School is one of two schools in the district with a comprehensive program that teaches the construction trades with immersive hands-on training.

For Middleton High School senior Brandon Nicholas, that hands-on learning is what drew him into the program.

"How I learn is seeing things, (and) I can do it myself," he shared. "One thing I like is building my own things."

The end goal of the program is to give students like Nicholas that opportunity.

"These students are learning a skill that they can take directly into the workforce. So some of them may be seniors... In just a few months they're going to be ready to work," claimed Christopher Jargo, director of the career and technical education for Hillsborough County Public Schools.

WATCH: Hillsborough County opening new technical schools

"Some of them may decide at a younger age, maybe a 9th grader that this is the path they're going to be on for the rest of their high school career. And so all of these types of classes are very impactful to making sure that they have meaningful work and make a meaningful impact on society when they leave Middleton High School," he said.

Ebert agreed that the CTE program helps students to make positive career choices and then helps them achieve those goals.

"We like to offer multiple career paths. Maybe not every student wants to go to college, but they may find a technical college they want to go to or we can just send them straight into the workforce," she shared.

That's part of what's inspiring to Nicholas.

"There are jobs out there, big companies that are always looking at things to improve," he said. "It's all about showing up and working hard."

Hillsborough County Public Schools offers career and technical education courses in middle schools and high schools.

LINK: Learn more about the courses and locations at https://www.hillsboroughschools.org/careerandtechnical.