Studies have shown an increased need for a vocationally-trained workforce in the near future, and area schools and colleges are working to address this industrial need.
Texarkana, Ark., School District has partnered with local industries to increase hands-on training for students and give them pathways directly into the workforce upon graduation.
Curt Green, owner of local commercial real estate firm Curt Green and Co. LLC, is a member of the community team district leaders worked with to form the plan. He said it's important for students to understand they don't have to have a four-year degree to be successful but that they do need to have some sort of career plan.
"The longer a person goes without a job after high school, the lesser-quality job they will get for their lifetime. It's a statistical fact that that's basically the way it works," he said.
Other team members include Joey Martin, owner of Express Personnel Services; Kenny Haskin, city manager for Texarkana, Ark.; and Mike Malone, Texarkana Chamber of Commerce president.
The consensus of the group is that a trained workforce is needed for economic stability and growth.
"For economic development, there's no question that the best asset a community will have in the future is an educated workforce," Green said. "I'm not just talking college graduates. I'm talking kids that graduated that can become plumbers, electricians, carpenters."
A large portion of the program will include soft skills-instruction on how to fill out a resume, interview skills, interpersonal actions with employers and co-workers and the importance of showing up on time and dressing appropriately.
"The district is creating a curriculum that will substantially improve soft-skill training," TASD Magnet Coordinator Rachel Scott said. "That is one of the biggest, most popular issues that industries tell us."
A skilled workforce will be essential in Texarkana in the next few years, Haskin said.
"Right now, we have an aging fire department. Over the next five years, over 50 percent of the employees will be eligible for retirement. Our police department's not far behind," he said. "So we are going to be looking to the school system, as well, and folks they educate to employ in the future. That's critical to us, and one of the reasons I'm at the table, because these are the folks we'll be looking to hire. These are really good jobs that don't necessarily require a four-year college degree."
To qualify for these jobs, a person must have a high school diploma and pass the civil service exam. Additional training is helpful but not necessary to be hired for the position, Haskin said.
Malone said it's part of the community's responsibility to encourage students to get training and help the area succeed.
"The important long-term effect of this is unless we decide as a community that we are going to be the very best, we're not going to grow," he said. "If we produce the very best workers, if we're the best in the region, businesses will move here.
"The truth is it isn't the amount of money you put on the table that recruits businesses; it's the human capital you put on the table, and that will grow the business sector for more jobs, better roads, more investment in the schools, long term. It's necessary. Unless we can keep up with that progression of growth, we're going to lose. So this is an all in."
He said the responsibility for this also begins in the home.
"This isn't just a school's responsibility," Malone said. "We as a community-parents, grandparents, guardians of these kids-have to reinforce this and help bring these students to where they need to be."
Matt Coleman, TASD director of school improvement, said they have newly developed rubrics that incorporate the assessment of soft skills.
"We also put into place advisory sessions this year," he said. "Through this partnership, we have helped improve our plan for those advisory sessions so we can have some industry partners come in and talk to the kids during those sessions and have an understanding of what's out there for their future-even talking with ninth-graders so by the time they graduate, it might coincide perfectly with the time Kenny's looking to fill half of a firefighter staff."
The district will also offer an internship course for seniors, where they can get on-the-job training and high school credit at the same time.
Green said getting trained students will have a positive effect in the area and that everyone needs to buy into the plan.
"This is a nationwide issue, and it's something we need to address, because in the future, it's not going to be just how much money you've got for incentives, but how (much) of an educated workforce can we employ if we come to your town," he said. "Today's problems are handled by the City Council. Tomorrow's future is handled by the school system."