GHSD exploring student apprenticeship, experiential learning opportunities

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Golden Hills School Division (GHSD) is in discussions with Wheatland County regarding potential involvement in providing students with experiential learning opportunities.

On behalf of the division, Cathy Price and Kurt Ratzlaff presented before the County Public Presentation Committee during the Feb. 10 meeting. 

“We have funding from CAREERS, formerly Careers Next Generation, and what we are trying to do is find ways for students to have hands-on experiential learning opportunities in different work environments,” said Price. “This process begins early in their elementary ages, starting to get them introduced to different careers in their communities through guest speakers and learning about their community, and then as they go through junior high, we are trying to get them learning a little bit more about their different skills and abilities.”

Moving into high school, Price explained that is when the aim is to have students exposed to more hands-on, off-campus experiences.

She added the division is finding many students are lacking in exposure to work environments in the same way that they used to be – an example being less to no time spent working in family farm operations or working with their families’ businesses. 

Part of the aim is to have students utilize their time throughout high school to experiment with and test drive different career paths which may interest them or discover what they don’t like prior to going into post-secondary education.

“It is very important that schools are working with communities, with businesses, with municipalities to make sure that we are helping to train our students effectively for the work environments they that are going into with the competencies they need to be successful,” said Price. 

“What we are finding is that lots of professions are training their young people through the apprenticeship-style model. The four-year university degree is still relevant in some professions, but fewer and fewer,” added Ratzlaff. 

He noted job-site training and “micro credentials” are not only becoming more relevant to many modern work forces but are also more cost efficient than spending four years or longer earning a degree.

Among the options presented to the county for their proposed involvement included attendance at the GHSD career expo and hiring fair scheduled for March 26, in order to meet students and talk with them about civic careers.

The county was also invited to join dialogue sessions with other businesses to discuss challenges, as well as opportunities presented through hiring and/or apprenticing high school students.

Though no decisions regarding the presentation were made during the committee meeting, it was accepted as information for council to consider at a later date.