We see that those are extremely popular and have led many graduates to careers in technology and related fields.Įsport teaches students how to use gaming and design in a positive way. It has a similar feel to when we added robotics to the middle school and high school programs several years ago. Esports is a new and exciting technology program we have added to Mount Airy High School. We have tremendous existing programs with Andrea Brown leading our Adobe Academy and Garrett Howlett leading our engineering and drone programs. The newest addition to our toolkit to help students access high tech careers is esport. This would have been unforeseeable just a few years ago. ![]() We have opportunities for students to intern with high tech companies in Raleigh and never having to leave the area. Students may be programming robots in elementary school, creating designs in middle school, competing with robotics, and ultimately completing internships using technology in high school. It is built in seamlessly to our science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) theme. As students progress through elementary school they begin to understand how to complete basic coding, web-design, and creation using technology. We begin iPads in kindergarten, balanced with paper, pencils, and manipulatives. MACS has many areas that prepare students for high tech careers. We need to equip our children with these basic skills. Everyone will need to know how to use computers, create web-pages, develop spreadsheets, and create documents at a minimum. Schools, hospitals, construction companies, retail companies, pharmacies, and other local businesses will need students with computer skills. Almost all local industry partners have a high tech component in their field. That is the best of both worlds and we need to connect MACS students to these opportunities equipping them with the skills needed. Just imagine, working for a high tech industry and living right here in Surry County. The high tech industry is allowing a lot of flexibility for their workers. The average salary for high tech careers is $187,000. MACS believes that we need to seize this opportunity to prepare our students for high tech careers.Īpple and Google have entered our state and created more than 4,000 jobs and have openings that need workers with the right skills. According to the NC STIR Key findings () the tech industry is more than 20% of North Carolina’s overall employment. 4 fastest growing state for the high tech industry and high tech is adding $37 billion dollars to the state economy (). ![]() This field is so diverse that there are many different areas and opportunities for students to explore. Imagine graduating from a two or four year college and making more than $100,000 starting out in a career. The top technology jobs for 2023 are software developer, cybersecurity expert, IT (information technology), and web developer, according to US News – best jobs 2023 (). ![]() North Carolina has welcomed the technology industry with careers ranging from game designer to computer analyst. The projection of high tech careers is in the top five of careers needed in our state for the foreseeable future. So, why would we help students lead, innovate, and serve in the area of high tech? High tech is an opportunity that is ripe for students right now across North Carolina. We look at the industry needs in our region and state to make sure students have careers available to them when they graduate. Lead-Innovate-Serve is the framework of MACS. Each student needs to wake up every day of their life with these same feelings and sense of accomplishment. I love my life, enjoy my friends and family, and know that I made the right choice in my career. How many of you wake up every day excited to go to a job? How many of you wake up every day happy with your life and your career? I hope each of you finds joy every day. Education is the great equalizer and allows all children the potential to grow up to fulfill their dreams. Every child deserves the right to have a successful life and a fulfilling career, not just have a job. If we are simply preparing students to be “good workers” we have missed the point. ![]() Mount Airy City Schools (MACS) works hard to help every student have a plan for life now and after school. Editor’s Note: Community Comment is a periodic column in The Mount Airy News featuring commentary from community leaders in Mount Airy and Surry County.
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