Hiring Hoosiers is a new initiative from RTV6 that works to connect Hoosiers to employment opportunities, career development resources, training programs and educational paths. In our Hiring Hoosiers reports we are taking a closer look at barriers to employment and things that get in the way of people getting the jobs they need to support themselves and their families. For more information, visit HiringHoosiers.com.
GREENWOOD — High school students in Johnson County and in southern Marion County have a unique opportunity to learn the skills for an in-demand career before even getting their diploma.
Central Nine Career Center serves students in all Johnson County high schools, except Edinburgh, and also Indianapolis students who live in the southern parts of Marion County.
LEARN MORE | Central Nine Career Center
The students can choose from a wide variety of fields, and learn hands-on how to work in the industry while also earning college credits.
They get dual credit from Vincennes University and also can participate in internships, often times paid, before graduating high school.
One program they offer is precision machining, a job in high demand right now due to many people in the industry retiring.
"Just about everything in the world has been touched by a machinist some way," teacher Darryl Willoughby said. "There is a huge demand in manufacturing right now."
Student Lucas Loveall sees the need for workers on CNC (computer numeric control) machines when he is out on the job in area shops.
"Most people in this field are getting ready to retire," Loveall said. "The places I go on a tour of for internships — are in their like 50s or 60s — and there's no kids in the shop anymore."
In class, students use a lot of math and learn to read blueprints to create items needed in manufacturing. The projects they do follow the curriculum for Vincennes University, but they also get to have a lot of fun and work on their own projects for cars and motorcycles.
"It's just a wide variety of skills they learn in here that they can carry into the industry," Willoughby said. "We have an internship program where students go out their second year on a paid internship and I have more demand for students by the industry than I have students available."
Not only are many of his students landing jobs right out of high school, but many are getting hired by employers who will also pay for their college degree.
Some of the students in this program go on to earn degrees in mechanical engineering.
Other programs offered by Central Nine Career Center include aviation, cosmetology, culinary arts, construction trades, health sciences, welding technology and many more.
Central Nine is located on U.S. 31 in Greenwood.
For more information on how to get involved in these programs, you can contact their career pathways counselor, Allison Huey, at ahuey@central9.k12.in.us.
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