Hartselle High School students build a table during a shop class taught by Greg Adams. | Brent Maze

Hartselle High School students will have the explore careers and take classes that will prepare them for those fields beginning next year.

Principal Jeff Hyche said they will begin a career academy program next school year, which will offer students the opportunity to take classes along seven career paths. They will be offering health professions, engineering, education and training, information technology/audio-visual, agriculture, business/marketing and arts and humanities.

“Students will be encouraged to explore electives in areas of interest and/or in areas where career aptitude tests indicate potential success and satisfaction as a career choice,” Hyche said. “The courses will help our students make connections to college studies and careers. It is our hop to provide challenging, project-based applied training exposing students to as much as possible in a career field.”

Each of the seven academies offers a choice of classes over a student’s four-year high school career with at least one class being take each year.

In the future, Hyche wants to see the program expand to include other career paths, but he is asking for community involvement to make this happen.

“For us to be successful as we want it to be, we need the help from the community,” Hyche said. “We need opportunities to have learning experiences outside of the school building. We will need community partnerships that will allow students to intern, job shadow, work on community projects, sponsor activities, send speakers and experts to share with students and more.

“This program will only be as good as the community will make it.”

Last week, Hyche went to a conference in Gulf Shores to learn from other school systems that are already doing that.

“We’re hoping that it will be a win-win situation for the community,” Hyche said. “This is only a beginning for HHS. We hope to continue to expand and evolve to meet the needs of our community. It is our hope that we can eventually introduce various career interests in the elementary schools. Middle and junior high school students would further explore a variety of career options. And at the high school level, we would continue to offer courses that let students apply learning in the field of their choice.”

Hyche said they are introducing new classes and repurposing other programs and classes to fit the career academies.

“We hope that we will have something to offer for all of our students, whether they are high-achieving students or students who may be headed into careers immediately after high school,” Hyche said.