Co-Lin hosts ONE Conference

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Created on Tuesday, 26 February 2013 13:54

Last Updated on Tuesday, 26 February 2013 14:53

Written by Natalie Davis

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Co-Lin hosted the Opportunities in Non-traditional Employment (ONE) Conference recently at the Thames Conference Center on the college’s Wesson Campus. The purpose of the conference was to offer males the opportunity to explore nontraditional careers that can help lead to increased enrollment and retention of nontraditional students in high skill, high wage, and high demand career and technical programs.

Eighty-five students from seven area schools attended the event. Schools included Fallin Career Technical Center, Brookhaven Technical Center, Franklin County Vocational Technical Center, Simpson County Technical Center, Jefferson County Vocational Center, Hazlehurst High School, and Loyd Star Attendance Center.

“We take every opportunity possible to encourage students to begin thinking of what they will do after high school,” said Dr. Gail Baldwin, Dean of Career, Technical, and Workforce Education. “This experience is designed to show students opportunities they probably have not thought about before.”

Students were able to spend time with instructors and current students from the Culinary Arts, Business and Marketing Management Technology, Business Office Technology, Early Childhood Education Technology, and Cosmetology. Additionally, participants were able to hear about specific high skilled and high wage programs such as Computer Networking, Heating, Ventilation, and Air-conditioning, Automation and Control, and Precision Machining.

Terrance T. Turner was the keynote speaker for the event. Turner is the Operations Manager for Wal-Mart’s Private Fleet, owner of multiple small businesses in the area, and is a member of the Lincoln County and Pike County MS Scholars Program.

“I want to encourage all of these students to stop putting all of their efforts toward fitting in with friends, but to put their efforts into getting a plan to be successful in life,”

Turner said.

This event was made possible by a grant from the Mississippi Department of Education.