The Be Pro Be Proud truck visited Rock Hill’s Applied Technology Center (ATC) today with approximately 65 Rock Hill high school students circulating throughout the interactive truck at scheduled times during the day. The Be Pro Be Proud truck is an interactive trailer loaded with real-life simulators, virtual environments, and skilled challenges to provide students with hands-on opportunities to explore skilled professions such as electricians, welders, heavy equipment operators, and more. Lee, a student from Northwestern High School, was a participant on the truck today. “I think it’s cool that the simulators are here,” Lee said, “It lets you experience this and see if it’s something you would like to do in the future.”
The mobile unit has been stopping at different schools and community events throughout South Carolina and Rock Hill welcomed the traveling workforce workshop with excitement. “It’s wonderful that the students are getting to touch, see, and receive instruction on all the equipment,” said Ms. Mandy Wolff, Work Based Learning Coordinator at ATC, “The kids don’t know what they don’t know. We are trying to show them all the possibilities out there for them.”
The truck not only allows students to experience first-hand the different job possibilities, the truck also came equipped with interactive monitors providing information about job details, responsibilities, earning potential, and demonstrations of each area. The interactive monitor also was a hub for students to gather information about training programs and even job openings at companies within the Rock Hill area.
Kim Lineberger, President and Owner of Lineberger Construction Inc., was on board the truck today to help encourage and motivate female students looking to enter the male-dominated fields. As a woman in the construction field, Kim knows the value females can bring to these jobs and the impact they can have on the community. “It’s a great feeling knowing you helped build the community,” Kim Lineberger told the students, “Driving down the road, it’s great to say I helped build this, I helped build that.”
According to the Be Pro Be Proud website, over 24% of current skilled professionals are nearing retirement age. But the state’s workforce isn’t prepared to fill all those vacant positions left by the retiring workers. The hope is the Be Pro Be Proud truck can help inform and educate students of the possible career paths for skilled professions.
