Hundreds of students explore job opportunities to jumpstart their post-graduation career

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) - Teenagers looking for jobs while they’re still in high school got an early start on their careers as a group that handles workforce development in West Alabama organized an event where they could interview with dozens of companies in a matter of minutes.

West Alabama Works hosted W.O.W. 2.O recently. W.O.W., or Worlds of Work, is an event where high school students got to see what companies in west Alabama they could work for if they chose to work in career technical fields instead of going to a four-year college.

Recently, some of those students got to interview with many of those same companies.

“I’m interested in finance and I have experience in customer service,” said Tugsuu Redene, a student who attends the Capital School in Tuscaloosa. “So, I’m looking around and seeing what companies have opportunities, benefits.”

Nearly 400 students from several counties around west Alabama came to the event to interview for full-time jobs. Organizers say that this is a culmination of years of planning and having counselors and career coaches help students chart career paths earlier.

“We’re going to have students that are going to be walking across the stage in a couple of months with a high school diploma and a full-tike job. That’s really what this is all about,” according to West Alabama Works Executive Director Donny Jones.

Jones said most of the students who applied will get between three to five job offers to consider.

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