‘Be Pro Be Proud’ mobile workshop stops in Middle Georgia

MACON, Georgia(41NBC/WMGT) - Middle Georgia students are getting the opportunity to learn about skilled trade jobs this week through simulators.

The Be Pro Be Proud mobile workshop is making stops in Middle Georgia to teach students about trade jobs available to them.

Thanks to a partnership between Middle Georgia Consortium and Worksource Georgia, high school freshman are getting a head start learning about jobs in welding, robotics and commercial truck driving.

“When they get on the truck, they really don’t know what to expect,” tour manager Reginald Lagrone said. “But they leave with an idea of what it takes to be a professional at some of the things that we have to offer on the truck.”

From a hand-eye coordination game to learning about anatomy and plumbing, students also have fun while learning.

According to Tiffany Andrews, Workforce Development Director for Worksource Macon-Bibb, the focus is on ninth graders first.

“We truly want to plant that seed early so that they can start on that career path in the school system, maybe do dual enrollment or go to a college or a technical school that allows them to gain additional skills,” she said.

Andrews says they’re teaching students about high demand jobs that pay well.

“We don’t want to put somebody into a low skilled, low pay job,” she said .” We’re trying to get them elevated so that they can have a sustainable life.”

Cailyn Love, a ninth grader at Central High School, says she didn’t know what to expect from the simulators. She came in interested in a career in healthcare or construction.

“Going into the simulators, the welding simulators helped me with the construction and seeing what they do,” she said.

The mobile workshop will be in Macon until Friday and is expected to make stops in Baldwin County and Houston County in November.

Source: 41NBC/WMGT