Work-Based Learning Road Trip
It was a pleasure spending the day on May 2, 2017, with my Horry County School District’s Work-Based Learning Specialist, Mary Beth Roach. Work-based learning is an educational strategy that provides students with real-life work experiences where they can apply academic and technical skills and develop their employability. These opportunities help enhance the overall student and jumpstart their chosen career path.
The morning began by checking up on students in the welding program at Horry Georgetown Technical College. It was a great experience to see students on site working diligently on a skill that they learned throughout the semester. Mary Beth and I spoke to the instructor about attendance concerns and received updates on students overall.
The day continued with us traveling to Myrtle Beach Sports Complex as we visited Mr. Beale, the director, with a Sports and Entertainment Marketing class from Socastee High School. Mr. Beale gave a tour of the facility and stressed the importance of communicating effectively as an employee. Mary Beth enjoys supporting work-based learning experiences with schools in which she is directly involved. Her goal is to make sure all of the logistics are handled and that teachers and students maximize the learning experience.
Our next stop was at the Pelicans Stadium in Myrtle Beach. The students were taken on a tour of the stadium and were able to go behind the scenes and meet with key people who help make the Pelican baseball games an enjoyable experience. The best part for me was sitting in the VIP lounge and looking down at the field. It was an amazing view. The students asked great questions and were really engaged with the overall aspect of lawn and turf management, management of teams, careers as umpires and baseball players. We also did a short tour with the students at a Ripkin’s Experience.
After a great lunch at Magnolia’s, Mary Beth and I continued across the county to visit students who were performing internships in auto mechanics in the Loris and Conway areas of the district. We visited Quality Auto Parts in Loris, South Carolina and spoke to the owner to express how grateful we were to have him allow our students to come and work with the company. We also visited Myrtle Beach Chevrolet, Palmetto Chevrolet and Ford dealerships. It was awesome to hear that these students were doing a great job and we were even told by one employer that the student showed up during Spring Break and worked for free. That was an act of true dedication!
During our work-based learning (WBL) road trip, Mary Beth and I went back to my roots (raised on a farm) to discover that dirt roads still exist. We actually saw one and drove down one on a quest to find a mechanic shop. The rest is history. I reflected and realized how blessed we are to be in a career that offers students the opportunity to gain valuable work experience while still in school in order to help them plan for a successful future and career they will enjoy.
Monica Brisbon
2017 ACTE Region II Fellow
Carolina Forest High School
Myrtle Beach, SC