University Place Students Get a Look at Potential Careers at Technology Academy

By WVUA 23 News Reporter Aajene Robinson

Tuscaloosa Career and Technology Academy wants to promote their career and technical education classes to students as early as kindergarten.

University Place Elementary School took a field trip to TCTA to experience some of those classes

TCTA is known for its numerous hands-on programs like engineering, cosmetology, welding and more.

The University Place kindergarten students were accompanied by their parents to experience TCTA’s fire science, culinary and agriscience classes.

TCTA Hospitality and Tourism Instructor Jami Pierson said the idea started with what they thought the younger students would be most interested in.

“Who doesn’t want to pet the chickens and who doesn’t want to take a ride on the fire truck and who doesn’t love cupcakes?” she said.

Pierson also said this group of kindergarteners are special because they are spending their first year of school virtual.

“So for some of these students this will be their first visit to a school and what better way than for us to showcase all the programs we have here at TCTA,” she said.

At TCTA they still participate in normal class practices like tests and quizzes.

“Every student learns differently and myself included a lot of us like to learn through hands-on experiences,” she said. “Studies have shown that hands-on learning is a way to maximize students’ engagement with content.”

Pierson also said whether you are a kindergartener or eighth-grader getting ready for your ninth-grade year, TCTA’s programs are for students who want to go to college, post-secondary after high school, or want to go directly into the workforce.

For more information go to Tuscaloosacityschools.com