Using Technology to Develop a High School Career Awareness Workshop: The REACH Program

This article describes a collaborative project between business and industry, local school systems and Jacksonville State University (Jacksonville, Alabama). This project resulted in a new education and business/industry partnership called Readiness Education for Achieving Career Heights (REACH). The Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce saw a need for local high school students, especially graduating seniors, to be informed of career opportunities in the county. They approached the department head of educational resources at Jacksonville State University in an effort to develop a strategy to meet this need. Under the co-directorship of Drs. Kathleen Friery and Marvin Jenkins, professors in the counselor education program, a team was assembled to develop workshop materials and procedures to be presented to local high school students. A grant was received by the local County Chamber of Commerce to support the REACH program. The authors share the development of this project with the perspective that it will be helpful to those who would engage in similar planning.