Pictured: Jeffery Crabb, CEO of Diamond C Trailers, spoke to the students at the kick-off event.
The Northeast Texas Career Alliance (NTCA) kicked off the new school year Wednesday, Aug. 19 with an event at Priefert Manufacturing in Mount Pleasant.
Freshmen from Chapel Hill ISD, Daingerfield-Lone Star ISD, Harts Bluff ISD, Hughes Springs ISD and Pewitt CISD attended the kickoff, which introduced students to career opportunities available through NTCA and gave them a chance to hear directly from local industry professionals.
NTCA is a regional partnership designed to connect high school students with specialized career pathways in high-demand fields. Through the program, Northeast Texas Community College provides dual credit instruction and technical training, while local industry partners help shape the programs to ensure students are learning skills that align with current workforce needs. Workforce Solutions Northeast Texas and Region 8 Education Service Center also serve as partners in the initiative.
Kevin Frost, NTCC Director and Professor of Industrial Technology, has been involved in developing the partnership and curriculum from its early stages.
“From the beginning, the goal has been to bring education and industry together to create programs that lead to real opportunities for students,” Frost said. “Our industry partners help us identify the skills they need in their workforce, and we build that into the training students receive through NTCC. By starting these pathways in high school, students can earn college credit while developing skills that can lead directly to a career or give them a head start on continuing their education.”
The kickoff included presentations from education and industry representatives, including former Mount Pleasant agriculture science teacher and FFA advisor Mike Thompson and Priefert Manufacturing Key Accounts Manager Cody Duncan. Students also toured Priefert's industrial maintenance, programming and logistics departments and participated in breakout sessions with instructors and industry representatives.
Through NTCA, students have the opportunity to gain technical knowledge, hands-on experience and industry-recognized credentials while still in high school, preparing them to enter the workforce or continue their education after graduation. Click here to learn more about NTCA.
