labor shortage in a field Ellenberg calls “high skill, high wage.” Welding students can earn technical certificates through a partnership with Athens Technical College while still in high school. “We hire industry professionals, certify them as adjunct professors through Athens Tech, and they teach both high school and college courses simultaneously,” Ellenberg explains. Partnerships with local employers like Boiler and Steam Performance provide a direct pipeline to jobs upon graduation. “They know our graduates are ready to step into roles like entry-level welders because we’ve given them the training and experience to succeed.” GREENE COUNTY’S SCHOOL-BASED ENTERPRISES On entrepreneurship, Greene County School System isn’t just teaching students; it’s giving them realworld business experience. Through school-based enterprises integrated into career pathways, students learn to create, manage, and market products and services, all while generating revenue for their programs. Ellenberg explains this innovative approach as a way to reduce reliance on traditional fundraisers while fostering practical skills. “Rather than selling candy bars or hosting car washes, our students are running actual businesses. They’re engaged in entrepreneurship and learning how to operate professionally while still in high school.” Students manufacture custom T-shirts for local businesses and organizations in the marketing pathway. Ellenberg details how the process mirrors industry standards. “Our students design or modify artwork, send it to a transparency maker, and print the T-shirts themselves using an industrial T-shirt press in our lab,” he says. They visit Atlanta’s apparel market each year to select materials, reinforcing decision-making and procurement skills. Meanwhile, the agriculture mechanics students applied their craftsmanship to build Adirondack chairs and picnic tables sold to the public. These projects fund their programs and teach product development and customer interaction. A hallmark of these enterprises is their entrepreneurial structure. Students use Square payment systems to accept credit cards for sales and track revenue and expenses through school-managed accounts. “They’re learning accounting, budgeting, and financial management alongside their technical skills,” Ellenberg notes. Career Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) such as SkillsUSA oversee these enterprises, tying leadership development to hands-on learning. “We’ve shifted the focus to providing value,” Ellenberg says. “Our students are creating products and services people actually want and learning to think like entrepreneurs in the process.” Tackling Staffing Challenges While Modernizing Learning Spaces 4 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 01
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