Greene County students recently had the opportunity to learn about the new career academy.

While the building is still under construction, students learned about the strands of education that will be offered to them through Iowa Central Community College. The strands include advanced manufacturing-welding, agricultural information technology, computer science-programming, construction-building trades, culinary and hospitality, and health care. Superintendent Tim Christensen says the strands were created specifically with county jobs in mind.

“Let’s look at the employment needs in Greene County and the immediate area and provide our students an opportunity to get the classes they need and then be able to immediately go from high school into a particular field and get a nice paying job, not have to move out of Greene County, and also not have to incur a bunch of college debt.”

Any high school junior or senior, as well as any high school freshman or sophomore in the talented and gifted program, are eligible to take the career academy classes. The classes will be offered from 8:20-11am during the school day. Eighth grade TAG student Cody Stephenson talks about what he’s interested in taking when the facility opens this August.

“For me it would probably be the food and nutrition program and the agriculture. It’s because the food and nutrition was my most favorite one listening to and both of my parents followed under the agriculture field and I might want to follow them.”     

Iowa Central has agreed to staff and use their own equipment in the facility. Iowa Central Dean of Businesses and Industrial Technology Neal Adams says neighboring school districts in a 25-mile radius can also take classes in Jefferson.    

“This is a way for multiple school districts to share resources and offer kids educational opportunities that they may not currently have in their own school districts. Our goal is not to supplant anything that’s being currently offered but trying to supplement the educational opportunities of the students.”

Plans are being made to have classes offered for adult education as well.