Ridgeview students explore asphalt company, career options


JACKSONVILLE – In a bid to attract high school students to careers in construction and engineering, a local asphalt testing company hosted a unique field trip earlier this month by inviting 45 from Ridgeview High. They spent their school day touring Asphalt Testing Solutions & Engineering, CEMEX and Duval Asphalt operations on Jacksonville’s southside.
“Young people don’t even know there’s a job called ‘Performance Mix Design Technician,’” explained Rhonda Hale, ATS Lab Manager, “so we have to be creative in recruiting and hiring.”
“If that means bringing a bus load of 16- and 17-year-olds to tour our lab, we’ll do it,” Hale said, noting her strategy is forward-looking and long-term.
Ridgeview High College and Career Coach Tamara Mansel-Tucker was impressed. The tour highlighted many attractive career options that don’t require a traditional four-year college degree. Mansel-Tucker said, “The visit helped our students understand that through education and hard work, opportunities for career success are available to them. The presentation was very impactful for the next generation of craft professionals.”
During the tour the three companies highlighted day to day operations at their facilities and shared career opportunities at each location.
ATS hatched the field trip plan after Materials Engineer Tanya Nash met Clay County Career and Technical Education teachers at a Workforce Development event hosted by Associated Builders and Contractors last summer.
“This kind of collaboration among schools and employers is exactly how we can open students’ eyes to career opportunities that may not otherwise be on their radars,” remarked ABC President/CEO Karin Hoffman.
“The asphalt industry is a specialty field just like many others out there,” said ATS Lab Manager Hale.
“If we don’t expose our young people to the industry and impress upon them the need for qualified workers in the field, we will never expand the workforce needed to keep the industry going and growing.
“We need to help them understand that a quality vocational education or trade is just as good as a college degree. It’s not a ‘one size fits all’ world. We need different vocations to fill different needs.”

Students should watch for deadlines for financial aid

High school seniors should keep track of deadlines for applying for college financial aid. Here are some tips from KHEAA:
• File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid as soon as possible.
• Check with the financial aid offices of the schools to which you’ve applied to determine if they require any forms other than the FAFSA.
• Look for scholarships using a free online scholarship search.
• Attend any college fairs and financial aid seminars offered at your high school or in your area. If a company charges a fee for helping with applications, remember that you can do that yourself for free. If you decide to pay for help, make sure the company is reputable by checking with the state Attorney General’s office or the Better Business Bureau in your area, as well as the area where the firm is located.
KHEAA is a public, non-profit agency established in 1966 to improve students’ access to college. It provides information about financial aid and financial literacy at no cost to students and parents.
KHEAA also helps colleges manage their student loan default rates and verify information submitted on the FAFSA. For more information about those services, visit www.kheaa.com.