By Zach Spicer
Seymour High School has 54 career pathway opportunities for students as they figure out what they want to do in their lives.
Thirty-four pathways are offered on campus, and SHS partners with C4 Columbus Area Career Connection for the rest of them.
On Feb. 25, 11 Cummins Seymour Engine Plant officials had an opportunity to learn about some of these pathways.
First, they visited the Seymour Ag-Science and Research Farm in the Freeman Field Industrial Park. That facility opened in March 2019 and has expanded since then to offer precision machining, welding technology and agriculture classes.
Second, they visited SHS to tour the Project Lead the Way lab and Owl Manufacturing. PLTW provides hands-on science, technology, engineering and math experiences, while Owl Manufacturing is a student-run enterprise.
The tours were arranged through a partnership between JCIDC and Cummins with Feb. 22 to 28 being National Engineers Week, which celebrates the engineering profession, highlights engineers’ contributions to society and inspires the next generation of innovators through STEM initiatives.
It provided an opportunity for the Cummins officials to step outside of their facility and see what’s available at a local school, in particular the Career and Technical Education courses.
Seymour Community School Corp. has made a concerted effort to grow its footprint in the CTE education space.
Joy Stuckwisch, director of secondary programs for SCSC, said it’s important for students to gain skills so they discover their passion.
“Some students don’t work as well in a classroom, but they can do our machining and welding or the agriculture piece, so we’re really proud to help them establish something that they have a passion for,” she said.
All of the classes offered at the ag building are dual credit through Ivy Tech Community College, meaning students earn college credits by taking them, Stuckwisch said.
Brownstown Central High School students also travel to the ag building for welding and machining classes.
SHS Principal Steve Bush said as students explore and navigate their high school experience, they may find they don’t like a career pathway, and that’s OK.
“Then they learn something important, so they can figure out what they want to do next,” he said.
SCSC officials thanked Cummins for visiting their facilities and offered a welcome any time.
“We love to show off our building, our facility and our students,” Stuckwisch said.
Cummins has expressed interest in visiting other local schools to learn what they offer, too.
